


The Otome Game

by Mythicamagic



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama & Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Illusions, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mind Manipulation, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-08 17:02:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 131,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5505839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mythicamagic/pseuds/Mythicamagic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kagome has become obsessed with playing dating sims. She ironically becomes trapped inside a game, and must now choose a love interest. In order to win and return home, she has to successfully fill his 'love meter' to the maximum marker. The catch is, her choice will keep all of his memories from the game. So who will Kagome choose as her love interest? Canon Universe Divergence. SessKag</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Main Character

"Oh Sora, sometimes I think you're the only one who understands me." Kagome sighed dreamily as she propped her chin in her hand, gazing at the screen in front of her.

The laptop was humming an up-beat tune as credits rolled in pink lettering, the final names slowing down until the screen turned blank. Kagome leaned forward eagerly as a final cut scene was played where a young, attractive male was standing in a field with a girl. The girls features were hidden by her dark hair, giving players the fantasy that it could be 'them' that Sora was whispering sweet nothings to. You could even change the name of the heroine for this purpose.

"Kagome, my life hasn't been the same since the day I met you. From this moment on, I want to be with you...always."

Kagome made a happy noise, while her character blushed like a maiden. "S-Sora, what are you saying?"

Sora closed his eyes for a moment, before continuing. "I'm saying that I-"

"Oi! What the heck are you watching?"

Kagome squeaked and whipped her head in the direction of her window. Sure enough, there sat Inuyasha, peering at her screen with no short amount of annoyance evident in his eyes. "Is it more of that romance crap again?"

The girl growled and turned back to the laptop, only to see the screen cut to black. The words 'The End' appearing.

She stared, feeling indignation grip her. That cut scene had been her reward for 15+ hours of gameplay. She'd gone through pain staking choices of dialogue that were chosen to appeal to the male lead she wanted, won every mini game, unwrapped the mystery of the plot, all the while keeping her Love Meter with Sora just at the right amount...only to have the final confession stolen from her.

And the game only saved her progress until she finished it. She couldn't replay the ending, or load the game from a certain point. She had to start all over again.

"Oi, Kagome are you listening? Hey!"

"Inuyasha.  **Sit.** "

* * *

 

That day the Feudal Era's sun shone brightly, raising the villager's morale and keeping everyone in high spirits. Unfortunately, one of the village's occupants wasn't sharing their good mood, as he wiped the remaining grass stains from his clothes.

"Will you cut that out already? I said I was sorry!" Inuyasha looked at the tense shoulders of the former shard detector as she walked on ahead, and felt his ears lie flat. He knew it probably wasn't wise to push her, but he couldn't understand what was so important about a game of all things. Why get so worked up over something that wasn't real? She'd been playing them more often lately and though he'd never admit it, a part of him was a little concerned.

"Kagome!" Sango greeted happily when she saw them, holding the hand of one of her daughters. Upon hearing this Miroku appeared at the entrance of their hut, holding their son in his arms while their other daughter peeked around him.

Kagome grinned, her bad mood disappearing like rain clouds dispersing after a storm. They hugged while Inuyasha stood aside, ignoring their idle chatter and picking up a scent that had his bad mood plummeting into a foul one.

"My lady Kagome, how good of you to grace us with your presence once again." Miroku smiled easily. Kagome felt a stab of guilt for staying away a little longer than planned.

"I'm sorry guys. I guess I've just been a bit caught up in things lately. I didn't return empty handed though, I've brought presents for the twins and Miyatsu." She smiled softly at the toddler in Mirokus arms, before wondering where another child had run off to.

"Hey where's Shippo? I thought he'd be here with you." Kagome glanced around, unable to see or sense him anywhere.

"Out with Rin. The usual routine for him these days." Sango smiled and shook her head in amusement.

Miroku chuckled. "You'll find them both picking flowers near the village entrance if you wish, though they should be along soon. You know how Kaede doesn't like Rin to be idle for too long."

Kagome left her yellow backpack and presents with them, keeping a smaller bag with her to give to Shippo. Inuyasha had instantly grabbed the ramen and took off with it.

As she walked up the hill from their home, the cries of laughter from the children rang in her ears, making her smile turn wistful. Something tightened in her chest, and she knew that this was part of the reason she'd been staying at home allot recently.

Kagome couldn't be happier for her friends. Sango and Miroku had gotten married and had children, Shippo was learning techniques about fox magic and Inuyasha was finally happy after avenging his lost love. All was right with the world.

Her friends were all content...so why wasn't she?

The three year gap of when Kagome had been stuck in the future hadn't divided their friendship, but it had changed things. She'd missed Sangos pregnancies, Miroku learning to become a father, Shippos achievements and growth. Yet she hadn't been prepared for how much  _she'd_  changed since leaving, and nothing had made that clearer to her than Inuyasha remaining exactly the same.

While a part of her had been glad to see him unchanged after three years, she couldn't ignore the fact that she was different from before. She'd passed her exams and finished school, even traveled a little, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly why her romantic feelings for him had faded. It had saddened her greatly to feel nothing but friendship for him, wondering where the warmth of first love had gone. It'd been such a large part of herself that she didn't really know who she was without it.

Now all she wanted was to find something that could connect her back with this world again. Without the threat of Naraku to face, and no evil to conquer, Kagome knew she should be enjoying her happily ever after, but without that 'something' she felt removed from her friends happiness, and feared she always would. A year later and she still felt like the third wheel.

 _It's time to change that._  She thought to herself firmly.

Kagome finally reached the village entrance, but looking atop the crest of the hill showed no sign of them. Kagome frowned and pressed on, until she was overlooking the village. There was a path that led out into the trees, and a few broken flower stalks told her that Rin had definitely been there.

She continued on into the forest, the path worn and welcoming. With sunlight streaming in through the tops of the trees, the smell of grass fresher than ever and birds chirping happily to one another, Kagome wondered why she'd stayed away so long. As she stepped forward once more however, all at once everything went silent.

Kagome stopped, feeling like the air itself had grown still, as if the forest was holding its breath. Her heart began to beat faster and she turned on her heel, reaching behind her automatically for her bow and notching an arrow. But with no target she was left standing there, aiming at anything that dared move.

She frowned in concentration.  _I can't sense a single demon nearby._

She'd figured she'd be safe on the borders of the village since nothing had happened there in so long. Yet this feeling, it weighed down on her so heavily, and her only thought was that she was in danger. It had been awhile since she'd been involved in a decent fight and she was now regretting not practicing recently. What if she couldn't sense the demon because her skills weren't up to scratch? Or perhaps...it wasn't a demon at all?

Sweat beaded on her brow as she wondered where the oppressive feeling was coming from. Her heart was hammering in her chest now and Kagome took a few breaths to try and calm herself.  _Nothings even happened yet and I'm already freaking out? What the heck's going on?_

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she cautiously decided to continue on a few paces before a rustle in the bushes startled her. Holding up her bow again, she charged it with her reiki, watching the arrow glow bright pink. When everything went still once more, she waited. Hearing only her shallow breaths, and feeling no youkai whatsoever, she began to wonder if her mind was playing tricks on her. However, just as she was about to relax once more, a dark shadow burst from the bushes and Kagome screamed.

* * *

When she awoke, Kagome found herself lying on the forest floor, not eaten and quite alive. She sat up, wincing in pain at the slight bump on the back of her head from where she'd fallen. Sighing and looking around in confusion, she saw nothing amiss and figured it must have been her imagination after all.  _Yet that sense of danger...it'd felt real._

Putting her hands at her sides to push herself up, Kagome stilled when her fingers touched something on the ground. Holding it up for inspection, she blinked, finding it was just a harmless blue marble. She smiled, before bursting into giggles, more out of relief than anything after getting so worried.

"What is it that you find so amusing, miko?" A smooth velvet voice inquired.

Kagome's giggles abruptly stopped, recognizing the voice instantly. Her blue eyes moved from the marble in her hand, to the not so harmless Daiyoukai standing a few paces away.

"S-Sesshoumaru."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, what do you think? If you're interested in playing an otome game yourself, Alistair++ is definitely one worth checking out. It was made by Sakevisual, so remember to visit their website if you want to download it for free ^^ As for others, theres My Candy Love which is more your typical dating sim with love meters, or Star Project, which has dating elements but also mini games. All of the above are free games, but the best ones to buy are Amnesia Memories, Code Realize, and Nameless the One Thing You Must Recall.
> 
> Please review if you like it, this is more of a tentative dip in the water for me since its been so long since I wrote anything so any constructive criticism is appreciated. That said, I hope you have fun reading this one, it gets a little weird but in the best way :)


	2. The Introduction

When the Daiyoukai's golden eyes narrowed, Kagome realized she hadn't answered his question. Smiling slightly, she picked herself up off the ground unsteadily.

"Oh, it wasn't anything funny really. I thought I sensed a presence here a moment ago and got a little worked up. I must have fallen and hit my head."

She waved it off, before looking at him seriously. "Just out of curiosity, you didn't happen to sense anything when you found me, did you?"

She wasn't entirely sure where she stood with the aloof demon lord, but she knew he would tell her something like this. The two were still 'allies' she supposed after he'd teamed up with her group to defeat Naraku, but not much had happened since then to indicate that they were friends.

Sesshoumaru rose a brow. "There was nothing. Only your reiki being released in an uncontrolled charge that would've alerted even the basest of demons in the area."

Kagome frowned at the thinly veiled barb and dusted herself off, her attention once again caught by the marble in her hand.

Growing impatient, Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and began to walk away. He had better things to do than stand around idly as she seemed content to. However, he remembered the reason he was there in the first place.

"Come." He said over he shoulder when the miko did not move.

He continued on for a few moments before he heard hurried footsteps race to catch up with him. Expecting her to follow silently, he was surprised when she grabbed his sleeve instead, stopping him at once. Kagome dropped it the instant his narrowed gaze met hers, seeing the warning in his eyes. She still wasn't used to the fact that he now had both arms again, and eyeing the slightly thinner arm for moment, she cleared her throat.

"Look, I'm sorry...but could you check again? I know it's stupid but I really think something was here just now."

Sesshoumaru bit back a sigh, and instead swept his eyes over her slight form. Kagome bristled at the criticizing look he sent her way.

"You doubt your own abilities to this extent?"

She could read what he chose not to say easily. 'Are you not the same girl who defeated Naraku?'

"No. It's just that I trust yours more." Kagome felt her hands clench into loose fists as she looked away. _I...haven't been frightened like that in awhile,_  was what she kept to herself.

A small exhale was the only indication of her companions frustration, and Kagome was about to say more when she suddenly felt his youki energy spread out. The feel of it was the same as ever, sharp and static, like the breeze of an approaching storm, fanning out and whipping her hair back from her face. The fact that it wasn't controlled and dominated the forest all around her was such an uncharacteristic display coming from him. Kagome frowned in confusion and looked up at the stoic man. Was Sesshoumaru actually being...catty?

She then knew his intention was to make her feel foolish for asking, as it was obvious to both of them that they were alone in the forest, with not a single youkai around.

Was it that he hated wasting energy and denting her pride was his way of payback? Probably. Yet she'd needed to know, and his arrogance, while infuriating, was also reassuring.

It was Kagomes turn to pivot on her heel and walk away, her fists clenched tightly now.  _What an arrogant jerk, he couldn't just do what I asked nicely. He had to make me feel like a child asking their parents to check under the bed for monsters._

A warm sensation suddenly bit into her side and Kagome patted her skirt pocket in confusion, pulling out the abnormally warm marble again.

"Your ability to get distracted so easily continues to astound me." Came the dry voice of Sesshoumaru as he passed, not sparing her a glance. She noted his youki had been pulled back and was under tight control again.

"You made your point quite clear, jerk. I shouldn't have asked." She bit back, though her tone was half-hearted. The blue marble had turned red.

"Hn, and for wasting this Sesshoumaru's time you will attend my ward. She has need of you."

Kagome glanced up at him, her blue eyes innocent as she gave a saccharine smile. "Sure, why didn't you say something sooner? If it's for Rin I'll do anything."

Though he didn't turn to face her, Kagome got the impression that he was annoyed about something.

* * *

Kagome had followed along behind the impassive demon lord, wondering at the child's toy that had now cooled in her hand. Slipping it back in her pocket, she'd promptly forgotten about it upon arriving in a clearing and finding Rin with Shippo.

The two were studying a book of some sort, so it had probably been a gift from her at one point. Kagome couldn't see it, but the moment she'd greeted the children they'd hastily turned and hidden it behind them. The miko had risen a brow at Sesshoumaru, but he'd ignored her and walked away into the cover of the trees. When she'd finally sat down with them, they changed the subject and Kagome was left to wonder what the book had been about.

"Kagome it's so great to have you back! Did you bring me anything?" Shippo grinned.

"Of course. Just don't mention the extra snacks to Inuyasha or he'll get all uppity that I only gave him ramen." She winked and set her pack down next to him. Shippo gladly busied himself with rummaging around inside it.

Kagome then turned and smiled at the girl who had flowers adorning her hair. "So Rin, what did you need from me?"

Rin didn't reply, instead she grabbed Kagome's hand and led her to the far edge of the clearing, her face more serious than the miko had ever seen it before. She stopped under the shadows of the trees and raised her chin, saying the last thing Kagome had ever expected to hear;

"I want to play an otome game."

The wind whistled through the tree branches above, making them sway. This, and the soft hum of insects around them was the only break in the heavy silence that stretched on for seemingly hours. Finally, Kagome came to.

"What?" She asked intelligently.

"An otome game, Kagome. I want to be the main character, the lead in a reverse harem-" Kagome quickly put a hand over Rin's mouth and shot a hasty glance over her shoulder.

She could feel sweat bead on her forehead, and expected Sesshoumaru to turn up at any moment, asking just  _how_  his sweet and naive ward had come to know such a word.

Kagome bent down to Rin's level, noting the girl had grown in the recent months. She removed her hand and whispered harshly. "Rin, where the heck did you hear about those things?"

She knew there wasn't any harm in chatting about otome games, but this was the feudal era. If Rin started spouting about harems and the like, then she'd be Sesshoumaru's new target practice.

Rin's warm brown eyes blinked innocently. "I read it in the book you left here. It was a strange romance story, and I didn't really understand it at first but then it started talking about multiple relationships and love meters."

The girl smiled, before wrinkling her nose in confusion, oblivious to Kagome's horror.

"I think I understood most of it, but what's a Bishōnen?"

"All right then!" Kagome laughed nervously, steering Rin back towards Shippo who was munching candies happily. She spied the book behind him and picked it up, looking worriedly at the younger girl.

"Rin honey, I love you and I'll give you all the floriography books you want, but you can't have this book ok? It's…err, something you'll understand when your older."  _In about 500 years maybe, when society accepts the idea of girls playing harem games._

She spied the front cover and felt her face flame red. It was her Mocking Moon walk through guide. Not the worst, but she definitely remembered it having screenshots of the main characters in compromising positions for the cut scenes.

"B-but, I want to know how it ends. Does the main character start a romance with the Ice Prince, or does she marry the Childhood Best Friend?" Rin spluttered, looking at the book forlornly.

Kagome's expression softened, and she was about to apologize when she caught Shippo snickering. Turning slowly, she caught his eye, knowing that mischievous look all too well.

"Did you read it too, Shippo?"

"Yep, managed to keep Sesshoumaru from reading it too. After teaching Rin to read and write, I don't think that's the sort of thing he'd want his ward learning. Might want to take it back." He said easily, eyeing the book in her hand and grinning;

"Though I don't think Miroku would mind reading it."

Kagome growled, "it isn't that kind of book! Or game. So just pretend you never saw it alright? I'm going to take it back through the well."

She turned, saying a quick apology to Rin and leaving hastily. She'd told the truth, it really wasn't an adult book or game at all. But Kagome just knew that any feudal resident who heard the words 'harem' and 'multiple relationships' would be calling her a harlot. She didn't even want to imagine what Sesshoumaru would do if he heard them, and felt mortified at the prospect of explaining the game to him.

_Well Sesshoumaru, since I'm a failure at relationships I turned my sights to the virtual world. Low and behold, I found a game where I'm the center of a reverse harem and everyone plus their grandpa worships the ground I walk on. Frivolous you say? Surely you jest!_

Kagome made it back to the well in record time. With a jump, she found herself back in the 21st century and buried the book under a pile of clothes in her draw once she was home. As she leaned against her desk in relief that it was over, she jumped at the unexpected ringing of her cell phone.

She picked it up. "Hello?"

"Kagome! I need you to come shopping with me, asap! I have a date with this cute college boy and I need a new outfit to wear." Eri's loud voice at the end of the receiver had Kagome pinching the bridge of her nose. After that mini heart attack though, she supposed something to distract her wouldn't be so bad. She'd just go back to the feudal era in a couple of hours instead.

"Alright Eri, I have some spare time. Do you want to meet now?"

"Yeah, but I have to pick my sister up from school before we head into town. It's such a pain." 

 _Define pain,_  thought Kagome.

Ever since school had ended, her friends had gone on to college, leaving her behind. Her grades weren't high enough to get the education she wanted, but she tried to make up for it by going to night class. She was the first of her friends to get a job, and even though it was only part time at a bakery, it was better than nothing. Eri was currently the only one who'd kept in contact with her.

Kagome shrugged on a coat. "That's alright with me. I'll meet you at the school."

"Great Kags, you're a lifesaver."

With that, Kagome hung up and made her way down the shines steps. At no point did she notice her pocket glowing, as it was hidden under the heavy fall of her coat. Had she reached inside however, she would've found the forgotten marble, glowing and reflecting all the streets Kagome walked down, in its small orb.

* * *

By the time she finally made it back home, night had crept upon Tokyo. Eri's sister Yume hadn't been waiting for them at the gates, so Kagome had helped Eri search their old school for her. Wandering around the familiar halls should have felt nostalgic for the miko, since she'd spent most of her youth there. In reality, she felt like she'd learned and gained more by bunking off school to go to the feudal era.

They eventually found Yume in the nurses office, having sprained her ankle. With both parents at work, there was no one to help her home except the two older girls. Kagome had offered her shoulder easily, smiling at the shyer sibling and helping her limp home with Eri. Unfortunately they lived a little further away than first thought, and it was too late to go shopping by the time they'd taken Yume back home. Bidding good night to an annoyed Eri, Kagome had enough time to visit the library before it closed and pick up some food for dinner from a nearby store.

Kagome groggily made her way up to her house, feeling far more drained than what she thought was normal. She barely managed to stop herself from bumping into Souta in the hallway.

"Hey sis, you alright? You look wrecked." He said, eyeing her with concern.

"Uh-huh. Just tired for some reason." She yawed and leaned against her door frame heavily. "It's all good though, I just need a bite to eat before I go back to the feudal era."

Mrs Higurashi appeared then, looking more formidable than usual. "Oh no you don't young lady! You're in no fit state to go fighting demons. Get some rest."

Kagome didn't have the energy to fight her, and not bothering to change out of her clothes, she collapsed onto her bed. Souta and her mother left the room, accidentally knocking the computer.

The desktop, which had been on standby from when she'd been using it earlier, clicked on an icon from the unexpected bump. An otome game demo began to play quietly, its happy tune falling on the deaf ears of a passed out Kagome.

As she turned on her side, the marble rolled from her pocket to the floor. It stopped in the middle of the room, the laptops images reflecting on the surface of the blue orb.

Unnoticed, it began to glow faintly.

* * *

The alarm blaring at her to wake up was what eventually roused Kagome from her sleep. Groaning and rolling over, she eventually dragged herself out from under the covers. Yawning lazily while she smoothed down her bed hair, Kagome wondered why she felt so exhausted. Stepping towards her draws, she opened them, expecting to find the outfit she'd put aside yesterday.

Her school uniform greeted her instead. Kagome blinked the sleep from her eyes slowly.  _That's odd, I don't remember having this anymore. I thought I threw it out when I left school._

She jumped when she heard her mother's voice call from downstairs; "Kagome! Hurry and get ready, or you'll be late for school!"

 _...What?_  

Sometimes Souta pulled silly pranks on her, and even roped their mum into playing along, but this was a little strange, even for them. She shrugged it off as best she could despite the sickly feeling settling in her stomach, and made her way downstairs.

"Okay mom, very funny, haha. I have to give you props for actually digging out my old uniform though. Where did you find it?"

But her mother only stared blankly at her as she served breakfast to Souta and Grandpa. "What are you talking about? Come on sweetheart you really don't have time to be half awake, go get ready for school."

Kagome felt the heavy feeling crash and burn at the bottom of her stomach. There was no hint of teasing in her mother's eyes, and she'd never been a great actress in their pranks. She looked at Souta desperately, hoping to see him nearly on the verge of laughter, but he had that same lost expression.

"You look a little pale Kags, maybe you should have something to eat now. Go get ready after."

Her mother agreed, and Kagome soon found herself sitting at the table, brain on autopilot. 

_What's going on? Did the well send me back in time? Back to before I went to the feudal era? But I would've noticed as soon as I got home yesterday. Eri's sister wasn't old enough to go to my school while I was still there._

She ate little, her mind whirling uncomfortably fast. The doorbell rang, making her jump again.

"I'll get it." Kagome said, not aware she'd spoken until she was halfway to the door.

Opening it, a rush of cool air greeted her, making her inhale deeply to try and calm her racing heart. Unfortunately the person she met outside sent her frayed nerves through the roof.

It was Inuyasha. But unlike the Inuyasha she knew, who wore the robes of the fire rat and nothing to cushion his feet from the ground, this one was wearing a uniform. The boy's version of _her_ school uniform.

She stared.

He had one hand in his pocket, cradling a school bag under his arm. The other hand was scratching his dog ear, as he looked at her with a perpetually bored face. There was no warmth in his eyes.

"You're Kagome?" He asked gruffly.

It took her a few moments to respond, which only deepened his frown. She couldn't help it though, the clash between seeing his half demon form in 21st century clothing was too strange. His long white hair against the black school uniform she was so familiar with shocked her into silence.

Inuyasha gave a huff and crossed his arms. "Great. Just great. Not only do I get stuck with a human for a partner, I get a dense one. Some project this'll be."

"P-project?" She uttered, feeling as if she was dreaming.

"Keh, the geography project. Remember? You telling me the class dork wasn't paying attention?"

She was paying attention now, and after being distracted by his appearance, she finally noticed the big significant detail she'd overlooked. It was hovering next to him in mid air, whether he saw it and just didn't care, she didn't know. It was more likely however that he couldn't see it, and it was for her eyes only.

There was a Love Meter beside him.

The meter itself looked like a thermometer, and was only partially full. It's level was just above the minimum marker, glaring angrily at her in a dark red.

Kagome stared a moment longer, just to fully absorb what was happening, before heaving a long suffering sigh.

_Well, I guess stranger things have happened to me._

 


	3. The Love Interests part 1

Kagome liked otome games. She enjoyed them so much that she had several saved onto her computer. She'd completed many, drawn into the drama, the romance, the characters and found herself happy to have played them. This did NOT mean she wanted to be the main character in one though.

The main heroines in otome games were usually (though not always) too passive for her to connect to. Their primary traits included hyper-passiveness, helplessness, and sheer obliviousness. They didn't come across as a character, but as a robot programmed for serving men and having little to no personality of their own. It was this stereo type that Kagome was most frustrated with, and it was even worse when this 'charm' seemed to woo the love interests for no reason.

She knew that this was just an easy way for players to step into the shoes of the character, but it didn't exactly give her much hope when faced with... _this._

How the heck had this happened anyway? And where was she? In an alternate universe, an illusion, or a coma? This couldn't really be a real life game...right? She'd been faced with spells before, like the one Tsubaki or Garamaru had trapped her in, but this was different.  _Am I actually expected to play this like an actual otome game?_

That meant winning the heart of a love interest.

Kagome gulped, feeling as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head in mid December.  _And judging by the Love Meter next to Inuyasha, he's one of them._

Inuyasha had mentioned that he'd come to pick her up so that they could discuss the project. She had no idea why he was diligently organizing this since her homework had never mattered to him in the past but she didn't ask.

After giving her a folder she'd apparently forgotten from class, he'd left, sneering that she might want to get some better pajamas. Apparently he'd changed his mind on walking to school with her. She'd been too perplexed to bite back, instead going upstairs to change into her uniform.

 _Was my skirt always this short?_ Was all she could think amidst the confused car crash her day had suddenly become.

Kagome turned and found her book bag resting against her desk, along with a few books for school. Deciding not to question it, she grabbed them and made a rule to just go with it. So when she found that the walk to school only took 5 minutes when it was supposed to take 20, she just shook it off. She could literally count the streets that had been missed out from her walk to school and even spied the cherry blossom tree that should have led the way to Ayumi's house.

But standing in front of the school gates was what finally broke Kagome out of her comatose state, and had her heartbeat racing frantically. Maybe it was denial that had brought her this far, like she was in the 1st stage of grief. What exactly she was grieving for did not become clear until she rounded the corner.

It was seeing Miroku that was the final straw. Inuyasha was a different case, she'd seen him in her era thousands of times and it didn't stretch the imagination too much to think of him as a student. Yet when she entered the school grounds, she noticed a small circle of girls, all giggling and blushing at something a taller man was telling them.

She couldn't stop herself. "M-Miroku?!" She squeaked, realizing that she was grieving for her lost sanity.

Miroku turned and glanced at her, his expression turning into a heart melting smile. Kagome flinched in horror, knowing all too well what that grin meant, and smacked her forehead in frustration. Of course Miroku would be a womanizer here, what else had she expected? _He must have had his memories changed like Inuyasha._

She tried to remind herself that this wasn't her good friend who'd helped her defeat Naraku. This was the letch, the pervert who disguised himself in the charm of a smile.

Still rubbing her forehead in annoyance, she jumped at his voice.

"That looked like it hurt. Are you quite alright my lady?" Miroku's indigo eyes looked so sincere, yet instead of his honey'd words comforting her, Kagome found herself feeling nauseous.  _Oh God Sango, without his memories he's reverted._

"Just fine thanks! Hahaha! Say isn't it warm out? Are you warm? I'm warm. Let's all go inside where there's air conditioning." She laughed, her voice straining.

Kagome tried not to, but she couldn't help her eyes from straying back to it. The Love Meter hovered in the air next to the now confused Miroku. She felt like crying.  _Why? Why the heck was Miroku one of her love interests?_  She was panicking, she knew it, but she couldn't afford to do anything that might make the Love Meter go up a level. She had to act like this if she wanted to stay under the radar long enough to work out just what the heck was going on.

So she kept herself rooted in place when his smile returned, and didn't snarl at him to 'keep his hands to himself thank you very much,' like she wanted when he put a casual hand on the small of her back.

"You're nervous. Fear not young lady. You have no reason to doubt my intentions, I am nothing more than a simple monk. A monk who desired a carefree day at school, and found himself ensnared by a bewitching woman instead." He murmured.

Despite her resolve be be calm and collected, her reaction was automatic when his hand drifted lower to grope her ass. A sharp smack had the other students facing their way as Miroku lifted a hand to touch his face, feeling a stinging sensation swell his cheek.

Kagome growled; "Pervert!" Before turning on her heel, and marching away to the school building. Yet before she walked in, she turned back, looking at Miroku over her shoulder and feeling her blood run cold.

She'd been right after all. It would've been better to have Miroku think her a clueless idiot than to actually stand up to him, because she knew he liked strong women, he'd married Sango after all.

So it was with horror and faint sense of helplessness that she watched his Love Meter rise a little. It had been at about the same level as Inuyasha's, but now it was a smidgen higher. For Kagome though, that was high enough. She turned tail and ran inside.

* * *

The bell for class rang just as Kagome sat down, unsure what her first lesson was, or if she'd even brought the right books for it. It didn't seem to matter though, as with most otome games, learning actual subjects in school scenarios wasn't a necessity. The teacher walked in and went over some very simple equations to start with, and no one raised a hand to ask any questions.

In fact as Kagome looked around her, she began to feel a little creeped out. The teacher and the rest of the students had no distinguishable features. Their bangs fell into their eyes, making it difficult to see if they even had them, and they all kept their heads down, diligently writing notes.

She had so many questions, both big and small. Why was Inuyasha running around as a half demon, with no one batting an eye? And Miroku, he'd said he was a monk even though he was wearing a school uniform too? These were the little ones. The big ones were of course - What the heck was going on, and how did she make it stop now, please?

All the other students looked human, not one demon sat among them. As she looked around, trying to find at least one that didn't seem like a zombie, she froze in her seat.

"Hojo?!"

A boy with charming good looks turned her way, flashing a sweet smile. "Ah, hi Kagome. Glad to see you're feeling better."

She sweat dropped. Even in another world, Hojo still said the same thing to her. She waited, and was not disappointed when he reached into his bag.

"I bought some herbal remedies from home, in case you still have a fever. How's your temperature today?" He said with all the patience of a doctor. Kagome was glad he'd pursued it as a career after they'd finished school, but of course he couldn't remember that. She was then struck by a thought. What if he wasn't actually the real Hojo? What if he was an illusion?

Obviously the world she found herself in must be one. Streets were missing after all. But the people?

She looked again at the students around her, and spied one notebook close to her. They were writing down the equations perfectly. No sloppy handwriting, no scribbles. _Inuyasha, Miroku...are you even real or are you just creations made for this game?_

"Hey, Kagome? Is it the fever, are you feeling sick again?" Hojo's concerned voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she smiled reassuringly.

"Oh I'm alright, you don't need to worry Hojo. I think I'm finally over that illness, but thank you for bringing that stuff anyway, it was sweet of you." She waved it off, and smiled when he looked happier. It was then of course, that she noticed the infamous Love Meter. She cursed under her breath. _How did I not see that thing?!_

Hojo's level reached even higher than Miroku's, glowing a merry orange that threatened to reach up to the next marker. Kagome felt paranoia build. Was she just not supposed to say anything to them? If it meant keeping their meters low she'd do it, she'd be a mute if it meant no best friend as a love interest. And although Hojo wasn't exactly a best friend of hers, she just didn't know how to think of him  _that_  way. She desperately needed to figure out what was going on.

When the bell rang again, signaling that they could take a break. Kagome couldn't be happier to leave the classroom.

* * *

She needed a quiet place, that was it. A nice spot where she could get away from it all and actually let herself think about the situation at hand. Kagome chose the edge of the school yard, taking a breather while leaning against the wired fence. Unfortunately this was an otome game, and Kagome had played enough to know that the introduction of the love interests would not stop until she had met them all.

However... _this_  was not what she'd had in mind. She could understand Inuyasha, Miroku and Hojo to a point, even if she'd never choose them for different reasons, but really  _these two_?

_You'd have more luck making Ginta and Hakkaku my love interests than these guys._

Before her was Bankotsu, leader of the Band of Seven...until he'd died of course.

With him was Hiten, one half of the duo that formed The Thunder Brothers, who had also died.

Kagome was seriously starting to bank on her theory that they were nothing more than illusions now. The only other explanation was that they'd been resurrected Kikyo style. Though if that was true this would be a second resurrection for Bankotsu. Naturally both of them had Love Meters, though theirs were significantly lower than Hojo's.

She groaned in frustration, gaining Hiten's attention.

"Well, well, who's this?" Blood red eyes appraised her hungrily.

Kagome felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She could still taste the ash of the woman who Hiten had incinerated alive right in front of her. Besides that, he was responsible for the murder of Shippos father, and had almost killed Inuyasha. To top it all off, his brother Manten had wanted to boil her down into a hair product! Needless to say he hadn't made the best impression on her, even if his little sister had been cute.

"I think shes a class president of some sort, strikes that vibe with me anyway. She's not of any use to us either way, she looks too bookish to be a good cure for boredom. Weaklings hold no appeal for me." Bankotsu sighed wearily.

Kagome looked at him, a little startled at how easily she'd dismissed his presence in favor of Hitens when he was clearly the stronger of the two. His laid back personality masked a bloodthirsty mercenary, and even if she hadn't seen him in battle, his reputation alone frightened her.

He'd slaughtered 1,000 humans and 1,000 demons, making him feared and hated by both, though he was only human himself. He'd also been one of the strongest opponents her group had ever crossed paths with.

"You know, when me and my brother were bored, we'd kill people together." A group of students stopped in surprise, and Hiten laughed, waving it off. "In the old days of course," he added.

"No kidding! That's what me and my brothers did too!" Bankotsu grinned and patted him on the shoulder, both of them chuckling darkly. They then began to tell their goriest tales, looking very much like teenage girls confessing secrets at a slumber party.

"This one time, my brother and I saw two armies about to fight each other, so we killed one side for fun. Then the other side actually thought we were fighting for them, so we killed them too!" Hiten burst into another round of laughter, his fangs showing.

Bankotsu's shoulders were shaking as he snickered, actual tears of mirth seeming to fill his eyes.

The miko watched this display numbly. _Huh, must be a mercenary thing. Next they'll be braiding each others hair._

"...Well um, while you two are bonding over your love for massacre, I'm gonna go." Kagome turned, a little grossed out, and fully intended to walk away and scream into a pillow. Who had picked these two as her love interests?

_Maybe it was a villain from my past? That would explain a few things._

Why someone would go through so much trouble to put her in an illusion world, only to make it an otome game was beyond her. Besides, with love interests like them, what was the point of it all?

Hiten and Bankotsu's blood lust was so strong it practically clung to them like a second skin, and though they were distracted, she still walked away as fast as she could, fear nipping at her heels. If she never saw those two again, it would be too soon.


	4. The Love Interests part 2

Kagome felt like she could finally get some semblance of peace when she rounded the side of the schools sports hall. She'd used to go this way to watch the Archery club, who used the smaller pavilion a little further away. While she hadn't taken part because she knew she'd be too busy in the feudal era, Kagome had liked to watch their technique and tried to imitate it when fighting demons.

She glanced into the sports hall on her way there, but who she saw inside made her stop dead in her tracks. "I guess I should have expected to see you here too, Koga." She said to the wolf demon, who expertly flipped over the high jump.

He was dressed in shorts and T-shirt, and the miko found that he looked right at home among the sports equipment. Koga looked up, and noticing it was her, gave a large smile.

"Hey Kagome, how's my woman doing?"

"Still not your woman, Koga. But I'm fine, thanks." She replied automatically, well used to their routine. She wondered why he and Hojo seemed to know her, yet none of the others did. Though it wasn't like she was a new student in the games scenario, so she supposed it made sense. If  _any_  of it made sense.

"Heh, I heard that dog breath was giving you a hard time about a project of some sort. Want me to rough him up a little?" His smile widened at the thought as he cracked his knuckles.

 _Where did he hear that?_  She smiled gently and shook her head, blue eyes watching the Love Meter carefully. "Don't be silly, Inuyasha was just being his usual grumpy self. You know, I'm sure if you two actually sat down and talked, you could work out your differences and even become close."

Koga threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing off the sports halls tall ceiling. Kagome frowned, blushing furiously. She wasn't joking, Koga and Inuyasha really had become more civil around each other after the defeat of Naraku. They still swore at each other and fought like wolf and well...dog, but they talked and even got drunk together, sometimes with Miroku too.

Kogas chuckles died down. "Ahhh, that was a good one. You're funny and smart Kagome, just what I like in a mate." He suddenly sobered, and the miko found she didn't like the glimmer in his cobalt blue eyes.

The wolf stepped closer, his voice infinitely softer, though still holding a gravelly edge. He grabbed her hand and held it in his two larger ones. "How about you and I become closer instead? I guarantee I'd treat you allot better than some of the other morons around here."

One major flaw about Koga was that he never listened. Though charming in a roguish kind of way, Kagome knew that she and the wolf wouldn't have worked out because of the gap in communication. That, and he'd promised to wed a fellow wolf under a lunar rainbow.

"For the last time Koga, I'm not-"

"There you are!" A high pitched voice cut her off.

Koga tensed, his expression morphing into one of panic as he slowly turned, revealing Ayame standing behind him. Her hands were on her hips, red hair fanning around her as if she'd been running.

"I've been looking for you, you slacker. I see that you're taking an unscheduled break. That'll be 20 laps around the school yard." Ayame was also wearing sports gear, but she had a whistle around her neck which she picked up, narrowing her eyes threateningly at Koga.

Koga backed away and put his hands up. "L-look Ayame I wasn't goofing off, I was just-"

"Insubordination? Make it 40 laps!" She promptly blew her whistle, and Koga swiftly turned, saying a quick goodbye to Kagome before disappearing out the door. Ayame was right on his heels, green eyes ablaze.

Kagome was left standing in an empty sports hall, wondering how exactly two mates in real life had become a sports star and a drill sergeant over night.

* * *

With hesitant steps, Kagome finally approached the Archery pavilion. The Kendo club was right next-door, and as she passed it, Kagome could remember hearing their shouts and the clank of bamboo swords. Now there was nothing but silence as she gratefully sat inside the pavilion, eager to write down her thoughts without any distractions.

It also felt strange not to hear the soft 'thunk' of arrows hitting the targets. She sat facing them as she brought out a pen and note book, comforted by the familiarity of the place even if it was fake.

"Speaking of." Kagome murmured, writing down 'Illusion' and circling it. She then wrote the facts of the situation; That she'd found herself in an otome game environment, and had been in contact with mostly people she knew from the feudal era, and everyone she knew seemed to have had their memories changed. It remained unknown if they were the real deal or more illusions. If they were real, then that would alleviate some worries while adding to others. A part of her hoped they weren't her real friends, for their sake.

Her initial idea was that whoever put her in there was a demon or something else from the past. Hiten and Bankostu had died so long ago that only someone from their era would care to remember them. She then underlined Hojo's name, wondering how he fit into all this.

"So who put me here?" She wondered aloud, tapping her pen against her chin and thinning her lips. _Hmm, maybe that's not the right question. What I should be asking is, what do they want to gain from this?_

She wrote down 'Amusement', 'Power' and frowning softly, added 'Personal Vendetta?'

Kagome sighed, looking at the words again. Something just wasn't right. How did the modern era fit into all this?

 _Otome game_...her eyes widened as she gripped the notepad. If her theory was right and someone from the feudal era had manipulated this, did that mean then that it was her fault?

With shaking fingers, she clasped the pen tight and wrote; 'Mocking Moon Walk through guide.'

She stared at the words, feeling tears sting her eyes. What if they'd gotten the idea from her, when she'd left that book behind in the past?  _Am I to blame for all this?_

"You there. Girl."

Kagomes shoulders stiffened, and blinking back the tears, she raised her head.

Sesshoumaru stood in the entrance to the pavilion, silver hair as enviously long as she remembered it and golden eyes just as intense. He was the first one she'd seen who was not wearing any type of uniform from her school. Instead he just wore a simple white shirt and black dress pants, the overall effect being pleasing to the eye.

Kagome balked, had she really just thought that about him?

"Why am I not surprised to see you here, Sesshoumaru?" She sighed wearily, glancing at the Love Meter next to him. It was the lowest one she'd seen, just barely above the minimum marker.

He rose a brow, sharp eyes intent on her face. "Perhaps it is because I work on Mondays."

Kagome sweat dropped and brushed her hair away from her face, watching as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. She noted that his left arm still looked slightly thinner than the other.  _Have to give the creator of this game an A+ for commitment to detail if Sesshoumaru turns out to be an illusion too._

His bold markings looked out of place in the modern setting, and Kagome found that of all the men, he stood out the most because of this. The demonic heritage marking his brow had no place in this time, and oddly, she felt a little sad for him.

"The Kendo club will be starting in 10 minutes." He looked at her pointedly, but Kagome for the life of her couldn't figure out why.

"That's nice," she smiled lamely.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, an icy contempt in them that she hadn't seen for a long time. His voice was deadly calm and collected. "I do not tolerate bystanders, so I suggest you find somewhere else to skip class. Leave this pavilion to students who can actually use a bow."

Kagome felt her ire rise and warmth flood her face. It was true she'd ignored the bell for class, but she hadn't thought it would matter if she skipped, the school wasn't real after all.

She packed her things away with a little more force than necessary and played dumb. "I'll have you know I didn't hear the bell, thank you very much, and I can use a bow perfectly fine."

She stood up and matched his glare, wondering what exactly his problem was.

He gave her a flat look and she inwardly cursed. Of course; Dog demon = Excellent lie detector.

"A likely story. I trust you can find your own way back to class." He then dismissed her, as easily as if she were some insect to be ignored or stepped on. She gripped her book bag tightly and turned on her heel, logic and decorum forgotten. One thing that really riled Kagome was being snubbed, and she dove into the feeling if only to distract from the heavy thoughts she'd been immersed in just moments before.

She grabbed the first bow she could find and notched an arrow in record time, aiming it at the target board and firing with ease. When it landed dead in the center, she turned satisfied eyes back to where Sesshoumaru lingered in the doorway.

He looked unimpressed, and she watched in amazement as the Love Meter next to him sank  _lower._

She didn't know why, but watching it sink actually stung a little. Lowering her bow, she sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Well...at least you know I wasn't lying about my archery skills."

"Hn, though you lack proper technique."

Kagome frowned and set the bow aside, preparing to leave.  _Of all the arrogant, urgh! Though really, should I have expected any different coming from him?_

As she passed him in the doorway she fought to keep her eyes firmly locked with his. Though his burning golden eyes were intimating as hell, she refused to back down until she was out the door and walking away.

"Oh, and Girl."

Her feet stopped automatically and she cursed herself for not ignoring him. She turned back slightly to look at him, annoyance marking her features.

"Do not refer to me by first name again." He watched her quietly, and it took a moment for Kagome to catch onto the situation at hand. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn't meant to use his name so easily, yet she didn't even know if he had a last name. In this scenario it would only look worse if he worked there, was he a teacher?

Despite this, his rudeness earlier made her think twice about apologizing. Instead she made her answer as flippant as possible. "I didn't think you cared about what other people thought of you."

"You presume to know me?" Those sharp eyes were now watching her a little too intently, and his stillness reminded her of back in the feudal era. If they were there now, she'd be reaching for her bow, having sensed his intimidating aura brush feather light against her.

"...No." She answered carefully.

"Curious, since you called me by first name yet we have never met before. It is after all, my first day teaching here."

Kagome felt a thrill of panic rattle her senses and an instinct told her to flee before she got caught in any more lies. She tried to mask her features and reply as calmly as possible. "O-oh? I guess I heard it from someone else."

"Hn, a likely story." He said, deathly quiet.

She turned slowly, now eager to get away but not wanting to show that he'd spooked her. He'd caught her in a lie so easily, it was dangerous to stay any longer. It would be pointless to tell the truth, he'd never believe her.

"For future reference, miss Higurashi, you may call me Mr. Taisho."

Kagome gaped and whipped her head back to look at him. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

But he was already walking away, and even stranger, the Love Meter next to him had risen slightly.

* * *

Exhausted from the stress of the situation, Kagome wearily made her way back to class. On top of everything else, she now had to worry about not slipping up around her...potential suitors. The thought made her wince. If it wasn't a best friend, then it was a dead guy, and if it wasn't a dead guy, then it was Sesshoumaru. Couldn't the creator have thought of one man who wasn't any of the above?

Kagome got her answer when she met her last love interest.

She stared at him. Countless acts of murder and sabotage went through her mind as she thought of every cruel thing he'd ever done to her group of friends. She then thought about doing them to whichever sadist had sent her there, because  _this_ , this was not ok.

All in all, Kagome rounded up her thoughts on the matter in a single word; "No."

"I'm sorry?" Naraku looked up from his book, watching her with unreadable crimson eyes.

"No." She repeated, before turning on her heel and marching away.

Hysteria was beginning to build, she could feel it bubbling up in her chest, but she refused to let it out until she found somewhere devoid of past villains who haunted her nightmares.

She walked through the schools exit, having past the courtyard where Naraku had been enjoying a Stephan King book, and made her way back home. She wasn't skipping per say, it was more that she needed a pillow to scream into until her sanity came back.

So it was with a heavy heart that Kagome found herself back home, jumping onto her bed and burying her face in the pillows. Yet before she could immerse herself in the comfort of her blankets, an upbeat tune began ringing in her ears. Lifting her head groggily, Kagome blinked up at her laptop. The open screen was glowing pink, and was obviously the source of the garish music.

She stood up to turn it off, but when she moved the mouse to close the window, a message popped onto the screen.

It read, in bubbly pink letters - 'Welcome to Feudal Fairy tale! We hope you enjoy the game! Now that you've met your Love Interests, please refer to this guide for any help or instruction.'

Kagome stared in shock, reading and re-reading the title. This was definite proof that whoever had kidnapped her was pure evil, because no one in their right mind would use Comic Sans as a font.  _We're not even in the feudal era, how does this title make any sense?_

So this was it, she really was in an otome game, and whats more, she was the star. Rage shook her shoulders, and she rigidly clicked onto the next screen. It hadn't been quite so apparent before, but now it occurred to her that she wasn't so much playing this game as she was being played  _with._

Someone was acting like God here, and she was determined not to be their puppet.

Yet when she read the next passage, and found that this was the only page in the so called 'guide', Kagome couldn't stifle the stream of curses that fell from her lips.

It read - _'The Instructions are as follows: Choose a Love Interest and win his heart by raising the Love Meter to the Maximum marker. Do so, and he will keep all of his memories of your time together and you will be set free.'_

_'If you refuse or fail, you will remain here indefinitely.'_


	5. The Optional Items

When Kagome found that she could look directly at the sun without hurting her eyes, she stopped a moment to gaze up at the sky. It was a glaring reminder that the Tokyo she was in now was not home. If it were, she'd have been bumped into a dozen times already, would have heard the roar of engines and been immersed in the bustle of the city. The smells would stifle her, but she'd hold her head high and navigate the crowds with well practiced ease.

Yet now she could only hear a handful of cars, the streets were practically deserted and freshly cut grass was the only scent in the air. It was quiet, peaceful even, maybe even preferable. But it wasn't Tokyo. She noticed the buildings and sky had a faded quality about them, the shadows were thrown oddly and practically screamed that they weren't real.

So it occurred to her, with a thrill of fear down her spine, that though she was surrounded by a simplified version of her home, she was an alien here. Nothing about it was comforting. By it trying to mirror her home even a little only made her feel anxious and on edge because she could pick out everything wrong with it.

Kagome had fallen asleep after finding the message on the laptop, and only awoke when she smelled dinner that evening. She'd raced down the stairs so eagerly and sat down with her family just like they always had at the table. But just as she was about to tuck into her food, she'd stopped and looked at them.

Souta wasn't diving into his preferred food, he was diligently eating his greens. Her mother was using her right hand for chop sticks when she was left handed and Grandpa wasn't spouting nonsense at the table, he was quiet, they all were.

Kagome had looked down at her food. Was any of it real?

She'd forced herself to eat, and then excused herself to go to sleep. The next day, she'd gotten up early, and decided to skip school for the day to try to find a way out of this place.

"Yeah...good luck with that." She sighed, musing that even the Goshinboku tree had looked fake. The arrow mark where Kikyo had sealed Inuyasha was lower than its original spot.

Everything was familiar yet not, her family were strangers in her own home and her best friends had no idea they were even her best friends!

It reminded her of being in a dolls house. Perhaps that was where she really was? Some bully was probably cackling to themselves right now about how tiny she looked. Even Kagome had to admit, she was at a serious disadvantage here if she wanted to escape this prison and outsmart her captor.

"Maybe if I just keep walking I'll find something. This Tokyo looks fake enough as it is, so there's no way the creator of this place mapped out the entire city. I have to come across a dead end sometime." She said aloud, knowing that none of the dead eye'd zombies walking around her would think her crazy if she spoke to herself.

So Kagome walked, holding her notebook in front of her and drawing a map of the streets she crossed.

All of the little alleyways that led out into the heart of the city were gone. The library, a store and the school were the only places she was able to visit. All the buildings were stacked together so tightly she couldn't find an opening to squeeze through.

Her map was pointless, there was hardly anywhere to go.

On her way back though, Kagome was surprised to see the way to Eri's house was open. She wavered at the crossroads, wondering if she should make her way to school and give and excuse for why she was late. Shrugging, she decided against it, and instead made her way to her friends house.

Something was nagging at the back of her mind, something important that she'd overlooked. Kagome wondered why this road, the library, the store and the school were all a part of this world when many other places in between had been cut out.

It was only when she knocked on Eri's door and was greeted by her mother, that Kagome clicked. It had something to do with the day before all this had happened.

"Hello Kagome, I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you'd be at school with Eri."

"O-oh, I'm sorry I was actually expecting to find Eri here. I didn't think she'd come to school today when I couldn't find her this morning." Kagome was already stepping away from the door. Lucky for her she'd decided to change into her uniform anyway just in case she got spotted by someone.

"Ah I see, well you must have just missed each other. She left this morning with Yume." Eri's mother smiled kindly.

Kagome felt her spine straighten, but she tried not to show any surprise. She had no idea if Eri's mother was a harmless puppet or the creator disguised as a friendly face. If she revealed that she knew more about her situation than the creator wanted, Kagome worried about having her memories erased.

She excused herself and left before Eri's mother could say anything more.

_This proves it though, I haven't seen Yume in a long time. Before meeting up with Eri again that day, Yume was just a little girl to me. But when I saw her again she was in school like Eri and I had been. The creator could have only known Yume was in school if they'd followed me on that day._

Kagome nearly tripped in her excitement.  _More stuff is coming back to me! This explains the library, Eri's house, the store and the school being the only accessible buildings. They're the only places I visited on that day. I don't know how but the creator must have followed me from the feudal era and created this world using my Mocking Moon guide and the places I visited the day before all this happened._

A cloud slowly covered the sun above, and Kagome looked up at the sky. Not a bird in sight, and the silence was still so loud. She knew this didn't explain everything, after all how did Sesshoumaru know what Kendo was? Why was Naraku reading a Stephan King book? Or perhaps more importantly; Why had someone trapped her in this place?

"Still, it's more information than I had before," A smile touched her lips.

Looking at her watch, Kagome was surprised to see that it was already midday. Knowing she should probably make her way to school, she turned the corner that would take her there. Hopefully no one would spot her and she could sneak in undetected.

Rapid footsteps suddenly caught her attention, and Kagome turned, wondering what was going on. Before she knew it, a man had bumped into her, knocking her shoulder painfully as he passed. The miko stumbled and caught herself, blinking in surprise as she watched him run off.

Shock quickly turned to outrage as she growled; "Hey you jerk! Watch where you're going next time!"

She bristled in annoyance and was about to carry on walking when she noticed her bag was missing. Kagome grit her teeth and looked up, finding that the man had indeed robbed her.

"Kagome! Are you alright? I'll catch him for you, don't worry!"

Kagome turned, noticing Koga heading towards her and looking like the star of a track team. She was about to wave it off, after all there was only her notebook and only a small amount of money in the bag, that was until she remembered the Love Meter.

All of a sudden she took off after the thief, running as fast as her legs would carry her.

"W-wait Kagome hold up! I'll do it!" Koga called after her, a little startled by her determined sprint.

Kagome was having none of it though. If anyone was going to be her love interest it would not be the wolf prince who was already mated. She could only imagine how awkward it would be if she actually won the game with him. He'd misinterpret her as he always did and think she wanted to marry him herself. It could even break his and Ayame's mating apart, and she'd resemble Inuyasha's mother.  _Not that it was Izayoi's fault, she and Inutashio had been in love after all._

This, and many other ridiculous scenarios played out in her troubled mind as she chased after the man. She could see him clearly now, her blue bag swinging in his fist as he ran.

Something occurred to her as she pursued the thief holding her bag. It was just a theory at first but then it blossomed into a concrete idea the more she thought about it. She'd chosen a different colored bag today, and in otome games, if you chose a certain colored item then sometimes an event would happen in the game because the color linked to a love interest. Had she chosen a red bag, would that have made Inuyasha turn up instead of Koga?

Kagome grit her teeth and pushed herself further, heart beating rapidly in her chest.  _Curse this damn game._

Blood pumped through her body as she bid her legs to run faster, feeling like she was catching up. That was when she heard the sound of rapid footfalls that weren't her own. She turned as best she could to look over her shoulder and felt dread fill her veins. Koga had decided to follow, and worse, he seemed intent on overtaking her and catching the thief himself.

Kagome growled and felt her reiki spark in annoyance. Why did all the men in her life have to act like alpha males all the time?

 _Oh right...most of them are demons._  She mentally smacked herself.

"Koga its alright, it's my bag I can get it." Kagome wheezed, trying not to show how much effort it took to run and talk at the same time.

Koga was catching up and looked like he hadn't even broken a sweat. Infuriatingly, he didn't pant once as he said; "Nah its okay, I'll catch him. There's no way he can outrun me."

The mikos eyes widened as she felt dizziness start to lead her astray. Koga was almost beside her now, and she knew no matter how hard she pushed herself she couldn't beat a demon like him in speed. Even without the jewel shards in his legs giving him a boost, Koga was still a fast runner and a wolf demon after all. She couldn't win.

Kagome began to breathe raggedly as she slowed, watching as Koga seemed to overtake her in slow motion. Images of his Love Meter rising to the top haunted her steps as she stumbled and caught herself.  _No,_  she thought.

She couldn't win no, but she could cheat.

Her steps halted at once and she skidded to a stop, grabbing her ankle and tearing her shoe from her foot. Aiming high, she looked at the distance between herself and the thief, weighing the shoe in her hand for a moment.

Then, bringing her arm back, Kagome narrowed her blue eyes in determination, and threw her shoe with as much force as she could muster. The poor shoe was sent sailing through the air, bypassing Koga and picking up speed as it fell towards the thief. It struck the back of his head, bouncing off his skull as he clattered to the pavement, out cold.

Breathing hard, the miko sank to her knees, relief swamping her even though she was exhausted. She'd done it! No homewrecking for her today! She grinned a sharp toothed smile, a little pleased with herself. She could beat the system no problem at this rate.

"Whoa Kagome you've got some aim. I knew my woman wouldn't let me down."

Kagome blinked and looked up, finding Koga standing over her with her bag in his hand. He dropped it on the ground next to her and smirked proudly, as if he'd been the one to recover it.

"I gotta say I admire your guts, you wanted to catch him yourself huh? I never knew humans enjoyed a good hunt like us wolves do. I think I like you even more now!" The wolf demon grinned, before laughing with delight.

Kagome's eye twitched and she watched in muted terror as his Love Meter rose higher.

"B-but..." She panted, utterly lost for words.

She was so distracted she didn't see something flashing in her peripheral vision.

"Hey now don't feel bad. I'll let you catch him next time alright?" Koga smiled, blue eyes warm as he held out a hand for her to take. Kagome didn't even notice, the words; 'I'll _let_  you catch him' floated around in her head as rage began to build.

 _Of all the little-! How dare he take the credit for this!_  She ignored his offered hand and picked herself up from the ground, putting her hands on her hips. She was about to launch into an irate rant when she finally noticed it.

There was an icon flashing next to her. That seemed to be the only way to describe it really, though it was odd to see it in real life and not in a game. It was a circle with exclamation point in the middle, and it floated in mid air next to her, just like the Love Meter that hovered next to Koga.

Kagome hesitantly waved a hand over it and jumped when it flashed, changing shape. Before her very eyes, it changed into three different sentences.

The first sentence was marked with an 'A' and read as; 'Thank you so much for getting my bag back Koga! I would have been so lost without you here!' Kagome balked at the idea of even saying it.

'I'm just glad its over.' Was option 'B'.

'Are you kidding? I can take care of myself, I don't need your help! God your infuriating!' Appeared to be the third option, marked as 'C'.

Kagome knew which one she'd gladly take over the others, but she suspected that Koga might like the stubborn option more. Optional dialogue was something that was common in otome games, but Kagome hadn't thought it would happen here. She could speak for herself after all, so why include this option at all?

She decided to try it out anyway, noting that Koga looked confused, probably wondering why she was looking at thin air.

"I'm just glad it's over." She sighed, meaning it.

Kagome didn't really know what she expected to happen, but Koga putting his arm around her shoulders and bringing her into his side was not it.

"Yeah you've been through allot today. Not to worry though Kagome, no woman of mine is gonna walk to school on her own after what just happened. I'll be your chaperon." He said gallantly.

Kagome just followed him along, noting the position of the Love Meter since catching the thief. It now stretched towards the middle marker, and it wouldn't take much to nudge it over the halfway point.

She wasn't really sure what to think about the optional dialogue. On the one hand it seemed ridiculously over the top in its answers, but on the other, the second option hadn't appealed to Koga at all. His Love Meter had stayed the same, even if he had brought her into a one armed hug.

Still though, she felt her shoulders fall in worry. What if she couldn't halt the progress of the meter and Koga ended up her love interest? It seemed no matter what she did, the Love Meter was determined to make her life difficult.

That was when she remembered a tidbit of information on dog demons that she'd forgotten. She pulled her bag from her shoulder as she walked, taking out her deodorant. Spraying it excessively, she hid a smile as Koga immediately backed off, twitching and coughing.

"Urgh, geeze that's a strong smell. How can you stand that stuff?" He spluttered.

Kagome only looked up at him innocently, spraying a little more for good measure. "I'm afraid I've no idea what you mean."

While Koga was not a dog demon, he was a wolf, and had a sensitive nose just like Inuyasha. Her half demon friend had despised her body spray too, and Kagome now clutched it with new found love. She'd found her boy deterrent.

The two then made their way to school, Koga putting his shirt over his nose to try and block out the smell, and Kagome happily humming along. It was with great delight that she noticed his Love Meter fall a little, and she clasped her spray bottle tightly.  _Yep I'm definitely hanging onto this._

As they made their way into school, intending to go back to class since the lunch break had ended, they both stopped in surprise. A crowd of students were circled around something happening in the courtyard, various shouts ringing out from them.

Kagome looked at Koga in confusion, and he shrugged before stepping forward to join the onlookers.

The miko frowned, feeling two familiar youkai close by. "Oh please don't let that be who I think it is."

She sighed, steeling herself as she pushed through the crowd and into the fray.


	6. The Drama

Kagome's suspicions were confirmed the moment she laid eyes on them. Though even without seeing who it was, their youki was too familiar to be mistaken. A dark thrum of power brushed feather light against her senses, letting her know she was in the presence of someone fearsomely powerful.

 _Sesshoumaru_ , she noted, watching his form collide with another.

A blast of hot air whipped her hair away from her face, and raw energy snapped at her senses.  _Inuyasha_ , she couldn't help the fond smile that broke across her face.

Kagome crossed her arms like a mother who'd seen this display of sibling rivalry a thousand times, which she had. It was infinitely stranger watching them wield swords in her time though, wearing 21st century clothing. Inuyasha looked so odd, jumping in the air with his demonic speed when he was wearing a school uniform.

The crowd gasped and worried among themselves, clearly awed and frightened by the display. Kagome merely watched as Sesshoumaru lifted up his sword at the last moment and blocked, casting the half demon away from him with a bored look.

He couldn't fool her though, his golden eyes were bright and sharp. He was enjoying the fight, even if he'd never admit it.

Koga rolled his eyes and made to leave. "Cant believe I'm saying this but I'd rather go to class than watch Dog Breath get beaten to a pulp again. You comin Kagome?"

She shook her head. "No, I think I'll stay. Thanks for the help earlier."

The wolf demon shrugged and was about to say more when he spotted Ayame glaring at him from across the crowd. Bidding a hasty farewell he quickly sneaked out, an angry demoness hot on his trail.

Kagome was too lost in thought to notice. The brothers had changed so much over the years she'd known them, it was a little jarring to see them back at each others throats. Things had calmed between them in their time, but now the air was charged with tension again.

Inuyasha began to get impatient for the win, and the fight took a serious turn when he unleashed a strike from Tetsusaiga.

The feudal era was perfect for duels like theirs, it had wide open spaces and allot of areas were still uninhabited. A High School however, not so much. The attack blasted a hole through the wired fence that linked around the whole courtyard.

Kagome gaped and looked around at the other students, all of them now seeming terrified. Her hands tightened into fists and she frowned. The students might not have been real, but that didn't mean they didn't have feelings. Miroku himself was standing with them, worry written on his face.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the damage behind him before turning back to Inuyasha, his tone dry. "You are as careless as ever, Inuyasha. If you cannot control yourself perhaps you should step down."

"Like hell I will, you bastard!" Inuyasha snarled, getting ready to swing his sword.

Kagome decided to intervene, forgetting herself and thinking this was the feudal era. Had they been there, Inuyasha would have grumbled but ultimately done as she'd asked. In Feudal Fairytale though...

"Whats it to you? Stay outta this, wench." Inuyasha frowned, lowering his sword a little but not backing down. Kagome stood in between them, her hands raised to each of them.

"Look I'm just asking you both to either stop or take this somewhere else. You're scaring everyone." She tried to reason with him calmly, but dealing with Inuyasha was sometimes like dealing with a toddler. Messy and loud.

"Not everyone, apparently." Sesshoumaru commented offhandedly, watching her in that quiet way of his. Kagome tried not to blush, hoping that she hadn't given anything away by stepping in so boldly. He already suspected her of something, so her lack of fear towards them probably didn't help.

"Keh, just get outta the way. There's no way I'm backing off this time." The half demon grumbled, eyes set in determination.  _No_ , Kagome thought.  _Stubbornness is a better way to describe it._

"You're being ridiculous. Just put your petty squabbling aside for two seconds and-gah!" She side stepped an attack meant for Sesshoumaru, ducking out of the way.

"I would suggest complying with his wishes. The fool has barely any self control." Sesshoumaru said loftily to her, side stepping the attack and lifting Bakusaiga. Kagome felt her heart jump, imagining the destruction that would follow if the demon lord unleashed its power.

Inuyasha sent another dangerous blast Sesshoumaru's way, the wind lashing at the onlookers in the crowd. Several of them cried out in fear, the sparks in the air dancing over their heads.

Kagome grit her teeth, and knew that she had to stop them. She'd had several training sessions with Miroku about developing shields with reiki, and had used it defensively against demons in the past. However, she'd never tried it against Inuyasha's sword before.

The icon for Optional Dialogue appeared next to her, the exclamation point a vibrant red, but she ignored it. Inuyasha was being too stubborn to listen to words. She stepped forward, knowing she was in the line of fire, and trusted her powers.

"Wait!" She yelled.

A blast of Tetsusaiga spiraled her way and Kagome felt reiki pulse at her fingertips. She was vaguely aware of Inuyasha shouting at her with worry in his voice, but Kagome stood her ground and put her hands up, palms flat.

In an instant, she'd thrown up a shield, covering herself in a faint pink glow. The youki from Inuyasha's sword fizzled and cracked against the barrier, before dissipating.

Kagome kept her shield up a moment longer, sensing something burning against it but not knowing what. Looking behind her, she gasped, finding the answer.

Sesshoumaru's left arm was raised, his hand burning inside the barrier. Perhaps he'd done it with the intention of pulling her aside when Inuyasha's blast had been sent her way, but all she could think about was the guilt that now swamped her.

The miko instantly dropped the shield, watching with horror as he pulled his hand away. The skin was completely burned, the smell of scorched flesh in the air. Kagome put a hand to her mouth, feeling tears sting her eyes. Sesshoumaru looked on, unconcerned, save for the frown that darkened his face. She knew it must have caused him more discomfort than he let on.

He narrowed golden eyes at his sibling. "Had you actually been aiming you might have stood a chance of missing her, half breed."

Inuyasha looked away, his ears lying flat as he sheathed his sword.

He didn't get a chance to respond as a dark figure suddenly appeared from the throngs of the crowd.

"My my, seems we have been busy haven't we Inuyasha?" A velvety voice inquired, his tone sending a bristle of disgust down Kagomes spine. The rest of the students began to scatter, and she watched them leave enviously, wishing she was anywhere but here.

"Keh, it wasn't just me." Inuyasha replied.

Naraku smirked and set deep red eyes on Sesshoumaru. "No it appears so. Tell me Sesshoumaru, why risk getting fired when your heritage is at stake over this very job?"

Kagome gaped and looked at the demon lord herself.  _What's he talking about?_

Sesshoumaru didn't seem inclined to give an answer but Naraku didn't look like he'd be leaving without one.

"This Sesshoumaru does not answer to you." He said flatly, before adding; "Though I am grateful for the employment, Headmaster."

Naraku smiled in what appeared to be a kind expression. However, the skin was tight around his mouth and his eyes were steady and cold. Kagome's head was reeling. Who the heck had put Naraku in charge of a school?

She fought to stay rooted in place and not running for the hills when he turned those ghastly red eyes on her. Kagome felt a little fragile as it was, what with injuring Sesshoumaru by accident. She didn't think she could handle Narakus scrutiny.

She felt her blood freeze in her veins when his lip curved, and the Love Meter beside him rose up to the orange marker without her having done anything. In her head, her inner voice was screaming in frustration.

"If you're done pointing out the obvious can I go?" Inuyasha piped up, and Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as Naraku turned to him.

"I'm afraid not. You damaged school property Inuyasha, and your  _situation_  is similar to your brother-"

"Half brother." They both automatically cut in.

 _"Yes."_  Naraku practically hissed. "Therefore, you and miss Higurashi will be held accountable for the damage."

"WHAT!" Inuyasha roared, jabbing a clawed finger in Sesshoumarus direction. "What about that bastard? You're not seriously telling me he's getting away with this without so much as a slap on the wrist? He's the guy responsible!"

"Your half brother will be held accountable, but on another day. For now I believe he's gotten his 'slap on the wrist' so to speak. Wouldn't you agree miss Higurashi?" Naraku asked her silkily, making Kagome flinch.

Sesshoumaru took this as permission to leave.

Kagome turned, watching him go. She couldn't help calling out to him, her heart squeezing with worry. "Sesshoumaru."

The Daiyoukai stopped but didn't turn to face her. "This one requested that you not use his first name." He said quietly.

Kagome nodded, but then remembered that he couldn't see her. "I know. Just...I'm sorry about your hand, I didn't mean to. It was an accident."

There was a beat of silence before he replied. "I am aware, miko."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat and she raised her eyes from the ground to meet his. Sesshoumaru watched her carefully for a moment, seeming to say;  _The fault is not yours._

He then turned and walked away towards the Kendo pavilion, his burned hand resting at his side.

Kagome watched him go, lost in her thoughts. _He called me priestess, just like in the feudal era._ She didn't know why but hearing him say it again made her heart settle and her fears lay to rest. He wasn't angry at least. His Love Meter remained exactly the same. She wondered if he remembered, or if he was even real, but at that moment Kagome's main concern was if his hand was alright.

"Now then." Naraku's deadly voice made her jump, and she glanced up at him, her expression mirroring Inuyasha's; Dread, mixed with disgust.

"Who would like to join me for a bit of detention?" He asked with a hint of sadism in his voice.

OOO

Detention did not involve writing lines or extra homework as Kagome had expected, rather they were forced to clean the school. It felt more like community service than detention, but she didn't complain about it as much as Inuyasha.

"This is total bull shit." He muttered, moping the floor of an empty hallway.

Kagome was inclined to agree. Naraku had justified her punishment by saying that not only was she involved in the fight, and had skipped school earlier, but she'd also injured a teacher. Inuyasha had tried to defend her but the headmaster wouldn't listen. She'd have 'detention' every day after school and sometimes during it for two weeks.

Out of curiosity she'd checked what the dialogue options had been earlier. Unfortunately what she found made her blood boil in anger, for once not at the game, but at herself.

The first two were your standard responses, A being; 'Please stop this pointless fighting! You're both my friends, let's just all get along!'

B was simply neutral; 'I'm staying out of this.'

But C was the one that got to her, because she should have noticed it herself. She could have stopped the fight easily.

'Sit Boy!' Was the option she'd missed out on. Kagome hadn't even thought about Inuyasha's subjugation beads, but sure enough he was wearing them. They were tucked into his school shirt, but a few beads were still visible around the collar. Had she been looking for them, they would've been allot more effective in stopping him. She sighed in annoyance but tried not to dwell on it.

Kagome then thought about Sesshoumaru as she swept the floor. He might not have been her friend officially but it was difficult not to think of him as some estranged member of their family in the feudal era. It hurt her to think she'd injured him, as nothing caused her more guilt than hurting a friend. She kept picturing his damaged flesh, her heart giving a squeeze of worry every time she did.

It was kind of funny that in the old days had she burned him, Inuyasha and the group would've been happy with her. Kagome wasn't sure she would've shared their thoughts. Even back then, it hadn't sat well with her what they'd done to Sesshoumaru's arm even though he'd attacked them.

"Hey! Are you going to hurry up or what? I don't wanna be stuck here all day."

Kagome started, and got back to work, glaring at Inuyasha over her shoulder. "It's your fault we're doing this to begin with so don't start shooting your mouth off at me."

Inuyasha's ears flattened, a dark look crossing his face. "Keh, it's Sesshoumaru's fault for being such a bastard. He started it by calling me Half Breed."

She looked up at him, puzzled. "But he always calls you that."  _He says it so often its almost like a term of endearment._ It was the same with Inuyasha calling him 'Bastard.'

Inuyasha avoided her eyes, frowning to himself as he mopped. "Just because he says it allot, it doesn't make it any easier to hear. Besides I don't need to listen to any crap, especially when its coming from him."

Silence filled the empty hallway. The pair busied themselves with work for a little while, both of them quiet as they thought to themselves.

Kagome broke the hush that had fallen upon them, unable to stifle her curiosity. "What was Naraku talking about earlier? He mentioned your heritage?"

Inuyasha looked at her, and for a moment she couldn't figure out why. Then she blushed and realized that Naraku must have been using a surname.  _Why do I keep doing that?_

"You mean Mr. Onigumo right? Feh, it's none of his business or yours."

The miko gripped her broom a little tighter and Inuyasha flinched, feeling reiki spark the air. She put a hand on her hip and growled; "I think an explanation is the least you owe me after what just happened."

His ears pricked, before flattening. A brief look of something akin to guilt passed over his features, but then it was gone. "Yeah, yeah whatever. Look long story short, when my old man died he left me and Sesshoumaru some money."

Kagome tilted her head, wondering about Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. "Money and swords, right?"

Inuyasha gave her an odd look. "Nah we've always had them."

"O-oh right. Sorry, continue."

He shrugged, putting the mop in the water with too much force, splashing some of it. "Not much to continue with. We just can't get our inheritance unless we do some stuff dad wanted us to in his will. I gotta live under the same roof as that bastard for a year, get good grades and then graduate."

"What about Se-" Kagome stopped, noticing Inuyasha's dark look. "Er- what about Mr. Taisho?"

Inuyasha grinned, showing his fangs. "Heh, that part's actually pretty good. He had to get a job that helps humans, since dad thought Sesshoumaru could use some more compassion towards them. So the bastard chose to be a teacher out of the other options."

Kagome frowned, sweeping up some more dust so that Inuyasha could continue mopping. Obviously whoever made this game hadn't payed attention to the siblings, or they would've realized that both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had already grown past that. Inuyasha was wiser than before, and Sesshoumaru had already let go of his obsession with the ultimate power of Tetsusaiga. Bakusaiga and Rin were proof of that.

"What were the other options?" She asked curiously.

Inuyasha laughed. "It was something like being a volunteer at an orphanage. Can't say I blame him for turning that down, all the kids would've been scared shitless of him."

An image of a little girl with warm brown eyes and a halo of flowers on her head came to Kagomes mind. "Not all of them." She said gently, watching the sun set from the window.

It took them another hour before they'd washed all the floors of the hallways, not including the pavilions. Naraku ordered them to start on those after school tomorrow.

"What a slave driver." Kagome muttered, while Inuyasha grunted in agreement. Not once throughout their conversation had Inuyasha's Love Meter gone up, and the miko was immensely glad.  _Still my best friend, even in this world._  She smiled.

They prepared to part ways, Inuyasha mentioning their project and Kagome promising to meet him sometime so that they could work on it.

"Oh yeah, some guy was looking for you earlier, he mentioned you skipping lunch and he was worried or something. I think his name was Hojo." Inuyasha shrugged.

"Really? Huh, that's strange, I guess I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"Who is he? A childhood friend?" He smirked, golden eyes glittering in the lamp light.

Kagome was about to respond when a thought occurred to her. Things had happened so fast, and she hadn't been able to find a way out of this place herself. However in that moment it dawned on her that she actually had to choose a love interest. Whether it was the Childhood Best Friend or The Bad Boy didn't matter, the fact remained that she had no other option left to her.

Her heart sank, but she forced a smile anyway. "Kind of, I'll see you tomorrow alright?"

They each turned down different roads, but when Kagome looked back she realized he was gone and that the street he'd taken only led to the library. Frowning in confusion, she turned away and began to walk home.

Tomorrow, she had to choose which man she wanted as a Male Lead.


	7. The In Between Struggle

When venturing to school the next day Kagome decided to make a mental note of which character archetypes the boys she met fell into. It might sound shallow or mean, but this way she'd know how to deal with them individually. Or when she chose one of them as her love interest, court them.

The first character type that came to mind was The Childhood Best Friend. It was a cliche that could be found in most otome games, and was infamous for being one of the easiest characters to date. They didn't take much prompting, all that was needed was a few events to make them see the heroine in a different light. So long as Kagome kept out of that light, there wouldn't be a problem if she didn't want to date them. And she didn't, because if her hunch proved correct then Hojo was The Childhood Best Friend in this games scenario.

Hojo wasn't a bad choice, he was sweet after all. But when she spotted him walking through the schools entrance further ahead of her, she just knew he couldn't be her love interest. She'd never paid him any attention at school, and that was simply because she'd never felt anything between them. He was nice...and that was it. There were much worse love interests than him, but Kagome knew that if she were in his position, she hate to be chosen just because she was the easiest to get with.

Since he'd remember all of this, she could only imagine how hurt he'd be to think of all the emotional manipulation he'd been through for her own benefit. She didn't know how the memory thing worked, but she wouldn't take the risk.  _No_ , she decided. Hojo would not be put through that.

However, Kagome had never even dated before, so she had no idea how she was supposed to win a guy over even with the help of character cliches. The only experience she had was loving Inuyasha, odd demons in the feudal era being attracted to her for no reason and well...otome games.

 _I'm doomed._  She thought, before slapping her cheeks lightly and trying to feel determined. "Okay no more feeling sorry for myself. I've gotta do this so there's no point in crying about it, besides who knows, this could even be a good experience."

Though the minute she laid eyes on Naraku again she knew not to get her hopes up.

"The Villain." She muttered under her breath, ticking off the character type mentally and instantly crossing him out on her possible love interest list. There wasn't any need to decipher why, Kagome would never consider him in a million years.

"I'm sorry miss Higurashi, I didn't quite catch that." Naraku turned to her as she walked through the school gates.

"Oh, its nothing sir." Kagome ducked her head and continued walking, hoping he wouldn't stop her. No such luck.

"Just one moment miss Higurashi, I've need of you. Some youths spray painted their handiwork behind the bicycle shed. Scrub it off for me." He smiled, all teeth and sharp edges.

Kagome frowned. "Sir that's completely uncalled for. If I do that now I'll miss class."

Headmaster Naraku turned and gave her a look that was eerily reminiscent of feudal era Naraku. Kagome felt her heart freeze in her chest. For a moment, his expression had seemed acutely  _aware_.

"Yes that will be the case, but perhaps you've forgotten that you skipped yesterdays lessons. I also heard that you didn't go to your afternoon classes the day before either. How convenient that when faced with work, you choose now to prioritize your education." His red eyes bore into hers and Kagome knew she didn't have a retort for that.

Naraku smirked, seemingly pleased as he nodded towards the bicycle shed. "Off you go. I trust you remember where the cleaning products can be found."

Kagome backed away until she felt safe enough to turn her back on him, a little spooked by the memory of miasma and blood. Naraku seemed like he was back to being the snide headmaster again, but something warned her that despite appearances, he wasn't any less dangerous than he had been before.

OOO

Her left sleeve was making a beeline for her wrist and Kagome growled in frustration, nudging it up to her elbow again. The soap suds and spray paint had mingled into a foamy paste that was lethal to clothing. Kagome wished she'd brought a spare change of clothes, narrowly avoiding another potential stain on her uniform.

As she scrubbed the graffiti off the walls, only managing to smudge the neon letters rather than remove them, she thought about home. 'Home' now came to mind as the feudal era, no matter how much time she spent away from it. It was strange, and a little saddening to think that she loved being in the past more than in the 21st century where her real family lived, but Kagome had long since accepted it.

She missed her family, both of her families. She missed Sango's gentle encouragement and banter with Miroku. She missed Shippo and Rin, with their childish innocence and wise eyes. It was even stranger missing everyone else, because they were here with her, but at the same time not. Kagome feared she was this world's only inhabitant, the rest of them just being creations from the game itself.

And Kagome  _was_  afraid, though she tried not to be. She didn't want to be afraid in her own home. She'd tried to ignore it, but the more time she spent with her fake family the more skittish and unsure she became. What if they were monitoring her? What if one day she disobeyed the creator and they slipped something into her food? Even everyday things that she'd taken for granted like sleeping or showering were now tense situations.

She'd become a paranoid mess that morning when at 7am she'd groggily opened her door to find Souta standing in the hallway, motionless. It had only lasted a moment, but his eyes had been empty, face void of all expression. Then he'd blinked and smiled, chirping; "Morning sis!"

Kagome had shakily returned the greeting, but she couldn't help but wonder how long he'd been standing there.

Needless to say the experience had spurred her towards winning the game as quick as possible. Then she'd finally be able to see her real family again and return to the feudal era.

The only problem was that she felt like she lacked a purpose there. So even when she did eventually leave this place, her problems didn't end there. She wasn't the shikon miko anymore, she was just...Kagome. She was ordinary again. Which had been fine before traveling to the past and having a vast array of adventures, but now she felt like she'd been robbed of something.

She gripped the soapy sponge in her hand tighter. Now here she was in her natural habitat, worrying about dirtying her uniform, when she'd let the blood of demons sully it countless times before.  _You're being ridiculous_ , she chastised herself.

There was nothing wrong with feeling like an average person again. So what if she felt removed from the very place she knew she belonged, there were far worse things in this world.

Her hand clenched tighter, soap spilling over her fingers. Yet somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she'd been longing for the day when she was no longer the shikon miko, as it meant finally stepping out from Kikyos shadow. However, with the quest over, who was she but a little school girl lost in a world full of demons? Did she even have an identity that wasn't borrowed from someone else?

In a fit of childish anger and pent up stress, Kagome chucked the sponge in the nearby bucket, uncaring when the water that was dyed red splashed on her clothes. She lifted her arm, finding the stains looking reminiscent of blood, but even this was not enough to satisfy her.

It was pretend, just like the rest of this place.


	8. The Male Lead

After an hour, Kagome had scrubbed off the main letters of the graffiti, and was now finishing off the smaller splashes of colour. The overall experience had been strangely therapeutic. Unfortunately her uniform had gotten the worst of the experience, but the miko had decided not worry about it. She now briskly clawed the last of the paint off the walls, the thistles of the brush scraping away until it bit into the rust of the bricks underneath.

"What did the wall do to merit that kind of anger?"

Kagome glanced up, soap suds clinging to the ends of her hair. Hiten looked back at her, arms crossed and leaning against the opposite wall a little ways away.

"N-nothing." She turned away, wiping her brow. Kagome wasn't sure how to act around the Thunder demon, and this was why identifying which mold he fell into was important.  _More important than feeling sorry for yourself_ , she mused, wondering where this defeatist attitude had come from. Maybe she was more like Kikyo than she tried to pretend.

"Heh, you know when I'm pissed at something I take it out on someone." Hiten smiled, as if reliving old memories.

Knowing just where his mind had gone, she shrugged. "I'm sorry Hiten but not all of us can go around slaughtering people when we're upset."

"Hey I don't do that anymore." He protested halfheartedly, before thinking better of it. "Much."

Kagome shook her head, finishing off the the wall before she stood back, appraising it.  _Much better,_  she thought. While it didn't exactly matter how good a fictional wall looked in the grand scheme of things, Kagome was never one to do things halfheartedly. Besides, she felt like some time with her thoughts had done some good. Now she could focus a little better, and bury those feeling of inadequacy deep down where they belonged again.

She looked over at Hiten who seemed like he was waiting for someone. His foot tapped impatiently on the ground and his fingers twitched at his side, probably itching to use his lightning on someone. As she watched him, wondering which character type he fell into, she noticed a piece of paper sticking out of the bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hey...where did you get that?" Kagome asked, staring at the crayon doodles that had been scribbled onto the paper. She recognized the doodles instantly.

Hiten frowned, looking at the source of her interest and pulling out the scrap of paper. "This? Whats it to you?"

"My friends...they draw just like that. It looks like something they might have helped with." Kagomes fingers shook with the desire to snatch it from his hands. Shippo and Rin had used that piece of paper, she was certain of it. That might mean that they were here in this world too. Whether or not they were real or illusions didn't matter, she had to make sure one way or another that they were alright.

"Pfft, well if they did it was a meager contribution. Only a real artist can draw like this." He sniffed, pointing proudly at one of the drawings.

It was then that Kagome broke out of her worried state to the see the situation for what it was. It was a brother praising his little sisters work. She blinked, feeling the panic that had risen up scatter into thin air. She hid a smile, asking; "Did your little brother or sister draw it?"

Hitens ruby eyes locked on her, and she didn't feel as frightened as she had earlier. He stared a moment longer, probably wondering why she'd cared to ask, but was unable to hide his proud grin.

"Yeah, my sister Souten. She's always had a talent for it, me and Maten keep telling her that one day she'll be so good she'll enchant the pictures to come to life and destroy her enemies." He laughed, and it took Kagome a moment to catch onto that last part, too caught off guard by the fond look in his eye.

It was apparent that he really did love his sister, and Kagome felt both happy and sad at this. Happy, because it showed that even the most blood thirsty of demons had loved ones, and sadness, because he was dead and Souten was alive and alone in the real world.

Hiten shoved the paper into her hands, pointing at one of the scribbles. "See there, I couldn't even draw like that at her age."

Kagome nodded, but her attention was on one of the drawings she recognized as Shippos, her eyes also noting the flowers that dotted the page randomly. "My friends Shippo and Rin must have done these ones." She pointed to them, while Hiten grumbled that their work didn't compare with his sisters.

She tried not to get annoyed. "Look I need to know, where were they when they drew these? I haven't seen Shippo in a little while and I'd like to know if he's alright."

The atmosphere seemed to change, and Kagome realized that Hiten was now looking at her suspiciously. "If you're friends with them then surely you'd know they're at the orphanage. Its not like they've left or anything."

Kagome bit her lip, wondering what to say when the icon for Optional Dialogue popped up.

The option for 'A' was; "Oh, I'm sorry. It's been awhile since I've seen them, I thought maybe they'd gotten adopted."

As ever, 'B' was unwilling to get involved. (Don't push for information on the orphanage) "Guess I forgot."

Unsurprisingly, 'C' was trying to pick a fight. "You wanna go punk! I'll wipe the floor with you if you don't tell me where they are!"

She did want to know where the orphanage was located, but Kagome knew otome games quite well. This seemed like an event scenario, which meant that multiple love interests could be involved in this path if she played her cards right. If she wanted to pursue Hiten romantically,(which she didn't, since he was responsible for Shippos fathers death) then pushing for information now might trigger his suspicion and she could loose points with him and a few other guys.

However, if she waited, and found someone else involved in the orphanage, then maybe she'd have a better chance without drawing any interest. Kagome decided to back off.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's been awhile since I've seen them, I thought maybe they'd gotten adopted." She muttered.

Hiten didn't look convinced, but before he could say anything else, loud shouts rang out from behind him.

"Brother! Brother I think I lost another hair! I'll be bold in no time at this rate, oh whatever will I do!" Manten rambunctiously made his way to them, huffing from the effort it took to run there while holding a large weapon in his arms.

"Manten. I see you retrieved my weapon." Hiten crossed his arms and looked pointedly at his brother.

"Oh yes Brother! Here it is, I got it right away just as you asked." Manten grinned in a rather slimy way. Kagome tried not to show how creeped out she was at the sight of him in an enlarged version of the school uniform. He was an ugly demon, with reptilian features and a large head with only three hairs on it.

"Its been four hours Brother, but I forgive you." The elder demon reached out and took the blade, looking at it almost lovingly.

"If that upstart Bankostu thinks he can beat me in a duel, he's sadly mistaken." He muttered to himself lowly. Kagome realized then that the blade was Raigekijin, the weapon he'd used against Inuyasha. Shivering at the thought of what the Thunder Pike could do, she stepped away, meaning to leave.

"Hm? Brother who's the girl?" Manten inquired, freezing her on the spot. "Shes pretty...and has so much hair..." He blushed, watching her with an expression that had Kagome swallowing thickly.  _Don't throw up, don't throw up, don't-_

"She's of no concern to us, lets go. I doubt she'd be any fun in our dungeon anyway." Hiten turned, shouldering the blade and walking away.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief and thankfully slipped away. The character type finally clicking in her brain.

"The Yandere." She shivered.

OOO

After returning the cleaning products to the janitors closet, and conveniently finding a spare uniform in her locker, Kagome had changed clothes. Then, thanking the sky above for not making Mantan one of her love interests, Kagome found herself back in class.

Since this meant little in terms of actual brain work going on, Kagome was able to let her thoughts wander. Since she'd crossed Hojo, Naraku and Hiten off her prospects list, she thought about the others.

Inuyasha was obviously not up for discussion. She could never bring herself to be romantic with him again, after they'd amicably decided there was nothing between them. He was her best friend, and had been her first love, so even trying to go down that path would be painful for both of them.

When wondering what character type he fell into she couldn't help but notice how arrogant he appeared in this world. Had her old school friends been there they'd probably call him The Bad Boy, but Kagome just couldn't see it. He was trying to turn over a new leaf in this games scenario, and she knew he was sweeter than they knew him to be, so it didn't work. A smile tugged at her mouth, and she dubbed him; The Oresama.

 _Lets see...who else was there? Oh right, Koga._  Again, had the creator of this game been paying the slightest attention to their love lives, they'd know he was already mated. She'd never get in the way of that, and besides she knew he'd get the wrong idea. As for his type, she shrugged, thinking that perhaps he was The Sports Star.

 _And then there's-_  Her thoughts were interrupted by an agonized grumble from the back of the room.

"Damn, why cant I write this thing? You'd think after all this time I'd know how to write a decent death threat." Bankostu muttered to himself, screwing up a piece of paper and chucking it over his shoulder where Kagome suspected a few more had landed.

She rested her chin on her hand, contemplating. Bankostu wasn't bad looking per se, quite the contrary, but there was something about him that didn't sit right with her. Maybe it was his attitude, or his need to kill everyone, or maybe it was something else...

She clicked her fingers. He was dead! That was it!

Kagome giggled to herself at her stupidity, naturally she'd overlooked the obvious. Still though, maybe that didn't matter? Inuyasha certainly hadn't thought any less of Kikyo for being dead. She frowned softly. It would probably solve a few things if she did choose him. That way when she won he'd simply crumble into dust when they escaped to the outside world. She could avoid hurting anyone's feelings when they found out they'd just been a way to escape the game.

Kagome frowned and shook her head in dismay.  _Wow, harsh. When did I become such a cold fish?_

Turning back to Bankostu, she was startled to see him looking back at her. His eyebrow was raised, and she realized that she must have looked like she was having an argument with herself.

Grinning sheepishly, she waved it off. He shrugged, getting back to his death threat and muttering obscenities under his breath.

 _No_ , she thought. He wasn't right for her either.

As for character types, Yandere was taken, but Bankotsu struck her as more of a rebel here, rather than the type to put her in a metal cage. She dubbed him The Bad Boy instead.

OOO

The bell rang for afternoon break, and Kagome stretched, happy to leave her seat. Grabbing her lunch from her locker and trying desperately not to be paranoid about the food she was eating, she chose a seat in the courtyard.

It was a nice day, as ever, with the sun as a faded pin point in the sky that refused to move. She'd noticed yesterday that night seemed to just happen instantaneously here. The sunset was so quick, and time went by in a flash. It was like it hadn't even been a full day.

Munching on her food, it occurred to her that she hadn't told Hojo about skipping lunch the other day.  _I guess I'll find him either later or tomorrow._  Yet she knew she'd probably forget. It was better all round that she'd decided not to pursue him romantically, she could just imagine herself forgetting dates that she'd set up with him.

 _Speaking of people I shouldn't pursue romantically_ , she thought, spying Miroku across the courtyard.

"Married and a letch. Those two things don't exactly bode well for a possible game romance." Kagome mused out loud, leaning back in her seat. She'd only taken her eyes off him for a moment when she felt someone sit next to her on the bench.

"I trust this seat isn't taken my lady?"

Kagome jumped out of her skin, putting a hand to her chest. "Geeze Miroku, a little warning next time huh?"

"My apologies. You seemed lost in thought." He smiled kindly, but it was difficult to tell whether he meant it or not. His face was too innocent, and Kagome didn't like that one bit. She shuffled along the bench a little, wary of his hands.

"Yeah...I was just waiting for a friend to come back." She lied, hoping he'd buy it. He appeared to, as his face fell, a kicked puppy look replacing the chivalrous one. She wished he were one of her best friends in the games scenario, this whole situation would've been allot easier.

"Oh, it appears it was taken then. May I ask which lucky man you're waiting for?" His expression remained sad, but his eyes glittered with intrigue. Kagome blinked, having not expected the question, and floundered, unable to think of anyone.

"Hojo actually, he should be here any minute now." She regretted saying it as soon as it was out of her mouth.  _Why didn't I just say I was saving it for Eri, why?_

"Really? I would have thought you'd be with Mr. Taisho after that display yesterday." There it was again, that innocent look, but now Kagome could practically see the perverted thoughts flying around in his head.

"W-what! N-no why would you ever think that?" She stuttered, severely thrown as she blushed.

Miroku shrugged, leaning back in his seat and seeming content to take his time. "Well after watching you defend him yesterday I thought you made your feelings for him rather obvious. You showed your true desires for all to see."

"I-I did not! What are you talking about? I burned his hand!" Kagome couldn't believe this. On what world did he live in to think  _that_  was romantic?

"True, but it was an accident. Before that you were on his side, ready to stand against Inuyasha. You presented Mr. Taisho with your back, showing that you trusted him not to strike, and then charged your reiki defensively against Inuyasha. It seemed like you were protecting Mr. Taisho when you threw up that shield, and then in turn Mr. Taisho tried to protect you." Miroku looked at her curiously, and she was at a loss for words. Only white noise could be heard inside her head.

Then he smiled, and the Love Meter beside him went up. "I'm only joking of course my lady. I shouldn't think you'd ever pursue a teacher, imagine the scandal." The monk grinned, not looking very scandalized at all.

Kagome stayed in a comatose state for a few moments, her head whirling. When she finally caught up with what he'd said, she was too confused to be angry.

Miroku's face suddenly turned tragic and serious, and he grabbed her hands, looking deep into her eyes. Kagome's mind went on red alert.  _Oh no, you'd better not say it you perverted monk. Sango bore your children! All three of them!_

"However you're more than welcome to pursue  _me_. I have need of a good woman like you in my life, and I'd like to ask you-" he paused for effect. Kagomes only thought was;  _Does he even know my name in this world?_

"Will you bear my chil-"

"Miroku, I need to practice these lines with you. Stop pestering that poor girl and come do some work."

The mikos ears pricked up, and she found to her amazement that it was Sango standing over them. Her hands were on her hips and she looked less than pleased.

"Of course Sango my love, but I have no desire to help the drama club. The almighty Budda is telling me that my path lies down that road, which leads to the sports pavilion-ouch!" Miroku was cut off as Sango had grabbed his ear, making him stand up.

"You mean to the girls changing rooms right?" Sango growled, dragging him away with her.

Before he went though Miroku looked back at Kagome and seemed genuine when he said; "Speaking of Mr. Taisho though, his burn was still pretty bad this morning. Perhaps you should visit him."

Kagome didn't know what to say to that, didn't know what to make of seeing Sango here too. It made her heart squeeze in her chest to see them act like they used to again.

 _But surely they're both illusions. I mean if they're not then who's looking after their kids anyway, Kaede?_  She shook her head but found herself smiling. As ridiculous as the monk was, he'd reminded her of old times and maybe that didn't have to hurt to think about.

Amidst all the commotion though, Kagome could at least say without a doubt which character trait Miroku practically embodied.

"The Pervert."

OOO

Approaching the sports center after the end of school bell had rung, Kagome gripped her mop and bucket, sighing. She walked cautiously, dragging her feet a little as she wondered what mood Sesshoumaru would be in. She couldn't imagine he'd be very pleased to see  _her_ , the girl who'd burned him and probably dented his pride. She knew she'd have to make an effort on her part not to get too frustrated with him if he just ignored her as he usually did.

She would have visited him during afternoon break as Miroku had suggested, but she'd ran out of time. Still, Naraku had ordered her to clean the pavilions, so she knew she'd run into the silver haired demon either way. Inuyasha was currently cleaning the Gymnasium, as for once Naraku hadn't been sadistic enough to make him clean infront his brother.

Hearing the sounds of chatter ahead, Kagome looked up to see several students walking out of the dojo's entrance. She waited a few moments until they were out of sight before walking in herself. She still didn't entirely trust the blank faced drones.

Stepping into the lobby, she took off her shoes and socks before placing them aside. When she finally walked in, Kagome blinked, taking in the sight of it. It was much larger than it looked outside, with high ceilings, wooden floors and light filtering in from the open windows. Tucked away in the far corner was a larger door that she guessed led to the changing rooms. Across from her was probably the kendo instructors own room.

"Mr. Taisho?" Her voice was soft, the room seeming to swallow her whole. The atmosphere felt heavy, and she wondered why as her feet brought her to the instructors door.

It was open slightly, and she bit her lip, wanting to wait but also knowing she couldn't just stand there. The door opened with a slight push, revealing Sesshoumaru. He was seated at his desk, though his back was turned to her as he bent over something. Kagome noted that his aura was less controlled than usual, as it spiked and fluctuated as his frustration grew. When she finally reached him she realized he was changing the bandages on his burned arm.

Guilt swamped her, and it was then that Sesshoumaru turned and noticed her presence. "What are you doing here Girl?"

 _Ah, he's back to calling me Girl._  During their first encounters he'd referred to her as 'Inuyasha's wench', then 'wench', then she moved up a league to 'Girl' and then she'd finally graduated to 'miko'.

"Mr. Onigumo sent me to clean the dojo, but...well I also wanted to see if you were okay." Kagome stepped forward, but was stopped by the deathly cold glare he sent her.

"That will not be necessary."

She watched as he rose from his chair, noticing the narrowing of his eyes. It was the only indication of the discomfort it caused him to move his arm. Sesshoumaru then walked to the window, once again in control of himself. Kagome rolled her eyes behind him. He was a very proud demon, so it didn't surprise her that he didn't want her help. However, did he really feel so vulnerable that he had to stand and put distance between them?

He angled himself so that his burned arm was out of sight when he said; "My students clean the dojo every time they have a lesson, to prevent risk of injury to their feet."

"Oh right, that makes sense. I guess doing it before the lesson means less chance of getting any splinters huh?" Kagome smiled and rubbed the back of her head. She honestly hadn't thought of that.

Sesshoumaru practically screamed that he didn't want her there but she refused to budge. Keeping her smile even, she walked over to the bandages he'd left on the desk. Picking up some clean ones, her eyes carefully avoiding the bloodied ones in the bin below her, she motioned to him.

"It might help to have an extra pair of hands to bandage that wound though. Come on, it won't take five seconds, besides its my fault it happened."

The demon lord sneered, looking beyond frustrated that she hadn't taken his silent cue to leave. He spelled it out for her; "Again, that is unnecessary. You may leave now Girl."

Kagome lowered her hands and frowned, placing the bandages back on the table. Trying not to let her stubborn nature cloud her head, she spoke calmly. "You know, this isn't a knock against your abilities or anything, but shouldn't your arm have healed a bit more than that by now? Demons usually recover so fast when they get injured."

It appeared she'd distracted him enough to make him stop glaring at her. Sesshoumaru watched her carefully, reminding her of a wounded animal backed into a corner with its hackles up. Kagome knew it was more his own personal sense of pride that made him put her at a distance, not any sense of anger towards her. At least she hoped that was the case.

Sesshoumaru finally rose his arm up to a level she could see, though his lip lifted in a silent snarl. Kagome looked at it, noticing the flesh had at least tried to mend itself partially, but nothing like she was used to with Inuyasha. She'd thought that with him being a Daiyouki, he would heal faster.

She raised her eyes to his in silent question and he frowned. "That is usually the case. For some reason this Sesshoumaru's healing process appears to have slowed down."

Kagome regarded the white haired demon silently. She repressed the instinct to help in an effort to give him some space, but she wasn't leaving there until she bandaged that arm. Sesshoumaru appeared to know this aswell, as he caught her determined look and ignored it.

"It came to my attention that youki is being suppressed here whenever I, or another demon release it. This would perhaps explain the healing process being affected. I know not the reason why, but it will be discovered soon enough." His golden eyes gleamed at the prospect, and it crossed Kagomes mind for the first time that Sesshoumaru might actually be bored. Perhaps that was why he'd goaded Inuyasha into a fight. (Though admittedly, that was an easy thing to do by accident.)

Her brow furrowed.  _It's a shame I can't just tell him the reason behind it is because we're in a fake world. It makes sense that the creator wants to keep them under control. I'm surprised they're even allowed their swords, but their powers must have either been toned down or they're fakes. If of course, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are real too._

"My guess is, it's another demon trying to suppress your youkai powers, maybe to challenge or control you. Either way though, whilst your still healing wouldn't you rather have a nicely bandaged arm at your side?" She held up the bandages again and smiled.

His golden eyes narrowed in annoyance, but Kagome was getting used to that expression. She stepped a little closer when he said nothing but stopped when he turned to her.

"There is no need for this, it is-"

"Not necessary, I know. Who knew you were so modest Sesshoumaru?" She teased, taking a step closer. He seemed displeased that she'd interrupted him, but chose to comment on something else.

"You use my first name often."

Kagome took a few more steps until finally she was infront of him. "Yeah well, don't think anything of it. I'm just super forgetful."

"Hn. Foolish Girl." Sesshoumaru looked away but lifted his arm so that she could inspect it.

"It's Kagome, or miss Higurashi, or miko. Whichever you prefer." She murmured distractedly, shocked at what she'd found.

There were no magenta stripes on his left arm. The real Sesshoumaru, the one from the feudal era, had no stripes either. It had been an odd side effect from when he'd gotten Bakusaiga, and the new arm was slightly thinner. Only those that had been there knew this, so this discovery either meant that the creator was someone from her group, or this was the real Sesshoumaru infront of her. She stared.

"Miko."

She raised her head and found him a little closer than expected. The question was in his eyes, but he didn't ask what was wrong. Kagome just shook her head and gently took his arm, mindful of the burns.

"It's nothing, sorry." She whispered, trying not to show how affected she really was. She wasn't alone in this world after all. Having someone from the old world, even if it was Sesshoumaru, meant more to her than she cared to admit.

Kagomes fingers shook as worked, so the bandaging wasn't as neat as she'd liked. Still, it was better than nothing, and it made her feel better even if he didn't look any happier because of it.

When she'd finished, she stepped back, smiling. Sesshoumaru spared it a glance, before he looked back at her.There was an awkward silence, and Kagome felt the intensity of his gaze more keenly than before with the knowledge that he was real.

She turned on her heel and gave a small wave. "I should really get to work on sweeping the archery pavilion. Please excuse me Se-Mr. Taisho."

Kagome made it to the door before she heard his reply. "Inuyasha has need of you. He mentioned a project you both need to complete. Wait by the school gates tomorrow and I will ensure he meets you."

Her hand rested on the door as she smiled gratefully. "Alright, I'll be there."

With that, she left, picking up her mop and bucket as she went. It occurred to her as she walked, that Sesshoumaru was most definitely The Ice Prince type, but that didn't necessarily warrant her excluding him from her possible love interest list. She put him into the 'maybe' pile, her mind then going to the rest of her prospects.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Wait.  _That's everyone? It can't be!_

Yet, as she mentally checked the list of guys, and then checked again, she found that yes it was. The 'maybe' option appeared to be her only option, and she felt dread claw at her stomach. Out of everyone, she'd chosen the emotionally constipated demon lord, the Ice Prince that was infamous for being the most difficult love interest to win.

She put a hand to her head, uncaring when the mop bucket crashed to the ground, water spilling everywhere.

Kagome Higurashi had to woo The Lord of the Western lands.


	9. The Cold Spring

The quiet chorus of birds tweeting in the trees nearby was what eventually awoke Kagome. As she lifted her head and tried to smooth her ruffled hair, her eyes wandered over to the nearby window. Sunlight poured in from a gap in the curtains, she must have closed them sloppily last night in her distracted state. She yawned and put her feet on the cool ground, groggily walking over and pushing them open.

Kagome closed her eyes automatically, expecting the sunlight to be harsh on her eyes, but when she opened them, she gaped at the unexpected sight.

Outside, pink cherry blossom petals cascaded in the wind. Nearby flower beds were in full bloom and the grass shone greener than she'd seen in awhile. This was because it was Autumn last time she'd checked.

_Why would they change the season? To start afresh?_

Then it hit her. Seasonal events were common in otome games. They didn't usually effect the main plot but they were great opportunities to raise your stats with the love interest of your choice.

She wasn't too surprised when she heard upbeat music blaring from her laptop. Wondering who'd turned it on, and trying not to picture her fake family sneaking into her room, she walked over to it. Moving the mouse, a familiar message popped up on the screen.

'Welcome to Feudal Fairy tale! A new feature has been added to the guide!'

Kagome frowned and clicked again. 'Seasonal Events have now been added to the game! Please click here any time you need to check your calender for upcoming holidays!'

Below the guide was now a calender icon, and she clicked it with growing trepidation. Her eyes widened at the screen and her mouth fell open.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She squeaked.

Instead of having 31 days, January was now only a week long. February on the other hand, shone like a bright star on the screen. The day February 14 was highlighted in a garish yellow, and big bold letters confirmed that it was indeed 'Valentines Day.'

According to this calender she had 13 days until Valentines.

"You can't just change the months of the year just to shove events in there quicker! What the, who the heck made this?" Kagome gripped her mouse tightly, gritting her teeth. Great, if it wasn't enough that she had no idea how to appeal to Sesshoumaru, she now had to worry about getting him a Valentines Day gift.

_Oh no, that sounds even stranger when I think about it._

There was a timid knock on the door. "Kagome? Are you okay?"

She looked up, and tried to gentle her voice. "I'm fine Souta, don't worry."

"Alright, mom's making breakfast so come down soon!" The sound of footsteps retreating made Kagome sigh in relief before she glared accusingly at the screen.

"This is all your fault. I hope whoever made this game gets eaten by the most unmajestic animal in the world. Maybe a platypus. Or Jaken."

On her way to school, her mind was consumed with worry. Attracting a demon's attention was oddly something she was good at. In the feudal era, various ones had kidnapped her with the intention of making her their bride. However Sesshoumaru was a different story. She at least got the feeling that she'd won his respect after the defeat of Naraku, but how was she supposed to make him fall for her?

It felt odd to even be thinking about it, he was Inuyasha's brother after all. Kagome hadn't really considered him in a romantic light before and she found it hard to imagine him in such a way. She knew that was a good thing though, her heart would be safe from him this way, and she could just win the game without any complications.

Aside from the main one of course, which was Sesshoumaru's feelings.

Kagome wasn't stupid, she knew that if things worked out, then there was a possibility that Sesshoumaru might actually like her at the end of this. Hurting his feelings wasn't something she wanted to do, on the contrary, she thought of him as a friend. The miko knew that this betrayal of his feelings would likely hurt and anger him. They would never have the tentative friendship that had grown between them in the feudal era again.

She felt a guilty pang in her chest at the thought. She'd had her feelings played with herself, and knew how much pain it brought.

_He might even try to kill me. Either because I manipulated his feelings, or because a human courting him would be a massive insult to him._

Yet she knew The Killing Perfection well enough to know that he was a realist above all things. It was for this reason that she felt he was the right choice out of the others. When she explained their predicament, he'd understand the reasons why she'd had to do it. He'd put logic above his feelings and he'd at least be grateful that they were out of the game.

 _He'll understand, he'll know I didn't want to do it and he'll understand._  Kagome tried to assure herself that she was doing the right thing.

In the end, she was relying on his cold sense of judgement and logic to protect him from his hurt.

OOO

After morning classes, Kagome had grabbed her lunch from her lockers again, this time staying clear of the courtyard. Unsure of where to go, she wandered the halls until she stumbled across the dining room.

Lingering in the doorway and trying to spot any free tables, her eyes met Hojo's.

He stood up immediately and waved at her. "Kagome! Over here, I saved you a seat!"

She sweat dropped and hesitantly walked over to him. When she approached the table she was surprised to see two familiar faces with him. "Eri? Yume?"

The sisters looked up from their food and smiled kindly at her, eyes blank. Kagome felt her hope wane. It seemed they were just puppets too. She'd thought that perhaps they might have been sucked into the game as well, since they were some of the last people she'd seen before waking up here.

"Have a seat Kagome." Hojo pulled out a chair for her and the miko sat down stiffly, surprised when he pushed her chair closer to the table for her.

"Thanks." She muttered, a little taken aback by his attentiveness.

Hojo just grinned in return and took his seat across from her. She was about to tuck into her lunch when his voice stopped her.

"I've been really worried about you Kagome. You've been skipping lunch these past couple of days and I didn't get a chance to talk to you. Are you alright? Are you ill again?"

Kagome placed her chop sticks down and smiled. "O-oh no nothing like that. I've just been a bit distracted lately that's all."

Hojo didn't look like he was convinced. His blue eyes were more serious than she'd ever seen them. "If you're sure, because you know I'm always willing to listen. You can talk to me any time, be it night or day."

She pushed her chair back a few inches, a bit uneasy at the sight of his intense face.  _Whats up with him?_

"Ur-yeah. So anyway its Spring now huh?" Kagome tried to lighten the mood, turning to Eri and Yume who ate in silence. They were so different from their live counterparts. Uncomfortable with her friends silence, who would normally be prattling on about boys or shopping, Kagome was about to ask Eri a question when suddenly Hojo stood up.

"It's Spring! Why didn't I notice! Kagome you get Hay fever this time of year! I think there's some remedies in my locker, I'll be right back!" With that said, he dashed off. Kagome watched him go with a perplexed look on her face.

Turning to the girls, she jabbed a thumb in the direction he'd left. "Okay seriously, whats up with him?"

Eri just smiled as if all was right in the world. "Oh he's just being extra attentive because its Valentines soon. He's probably worried you'll find someone else to give chocolate to."

Yume piped up, though her voice was still a quiet monotone. "You make him chocolate every year. This year, since you've been drifting away, maybe he thinks you'll only get him store bought chocolate."

Kagome stared at them. This was what his worry boiled down to? She'd made him chocolate in the past? Now he was afraid of getting obligatory chocolate? She rubbed her head and sighed. She didn't want to invalidate his feelings but boy did she wish her worries could be summed up so easily.

"What do you think you'll give him this year?" Eri asked, her eyes on a point over Kagomes shoulder.

She shrugged, wondering more about what to get Sesshoumaru as she absently replied. "I don't know, I could still make him some I guess."

"R-really?" Hojo breathed, appearing beside her.

Kagome jumped half a foot in the air, heart beating wildly.  _Would everyone please just stop creeping up on me like that!_

Hojo continued, his eyes dreamy and voice hopeful. "That would mean so much to me Kagome. I'd be honored."

The girl watched incomprehensibly as his Love Meter rose again, this time right to the middle marker, shining a happy green.  _Oh no, no, no._

She shot up from the chair, her food forgotten. "You know, I totally forgot to do something earlier. Sorry guys I gotta go."

Hojo grabbed her arm just as she was passing and held up the Hay fever tablets. They were already sorted into a weekly pill box.

"I laid them out for you daily so that you wouldn't forget, I know how clumsy you can be sometimes." He laughed and she froze as his hand was suddenly on her head. He patted her in a way that could only be described as patronizing, and she clenched her teeth behind her lips.

"Here's the actual herb box too, in case you run out." He handed it to her, and Kagome pulled away. Her smile was sharp and cut into her face jaggedly. "Thanks Hojo, you're a real pal."

She then turned and walked away, spitting fire.

When she'd calmed herself enough to think logically, her mind turned to his Love Meter.  _Well isn't this swell. The moment I decide to actually pick a love interest, one comes along and at the drop of a hat, is ready to be conquered._

She wavered, unsure what to do as she put the box in her bag and got ready for class. Should she change her plans and just pick Hojo instead? It would be easier. What was stopping her? She'd have to hurt one of their feelings anyway, so why not his?

Kagome stopped in an empty hallway. Because despite how overly attentive he was, to the point that it annoyed her, she could tell he really meant it. His eyes shone with sincerity, and she knew it would break him if she actually became his girlfriend only to announce she didn't love him.

Sesshoumaru would not break. He was a creature carved from marble stone, and was unwavering in his strength. His feelings worked differently than the boy's, and no amount of pain she inflicted on him would affect him forever.

Kagome put a hand to her chest, feeling rotten. It was like she was weighing hearts in the palms of her hands, finding faults and crushing them under the heel of her shoe when they displeased her.

Either way though, she'd have to hurt Hojo. She couldn't let him live in his dream world any longer. No chocolates on Valentines, no sitting with him at lunch, and no contact.

_It's for your own good, you creepily nice guy._

OOO

The teachers voice droned on into the background, while Kagome's eyes shut tiredly. A harsh noise suddenly blared in her ears, yet she smiled. The bell had rung, signalling the end of the school day. She put her books into her bag, slinging it onto her shoulder and leaving hastily.

She couldn't wait to hang out with Inuyasha and not have to worry about the game for awhile. She resolved to think up a list of possible things Sesshoumaru would like when she got back home, yet for now she'd just study.  _I don't think I'll ever going to get used to the fact that I'm now pursuing a demon lord, or calling studying relaxing._

Kagome shook her head, turning down an unused hallway so that she could avoid the crowd and get to the front gate faster. When she turned the next corner however, she found the headmaster waiting for her.

Naraku stood with his hands at his sides, long tendrils of black hair slithering down his back. He faced the window, looking down at the students he commanded. Kagome took a step back.

"Leaving so soon Miss Higurashi?" He inquired, his velvet voice practically dripping with poison.

She could leave. It wasn't like her escape was cut off or anything. She looked back the way she'd come.

"I hope you're not forgetting the little arrangement we discussed about your punishment. The Dining Hall would certainly benefit from your cleaning talents today." He turned to face her, red eyes pinning her in place.

Her bones locked, and she felt unable to move. Her eyes widened, and she tried to calm down.  _Its alright, you're just remembering him from the old days, he's got no power here. You're fine, you're safe._

Kagome breathed and looked back up, pushing her fears away. "Actually sir I  _was_  intending to leave. I need to start on this Geography project that me and Inuyasha are working on."

Naraku turned back to the window, as if searching for something, then he smiled. "Ah yes, I see him by the gate. Just so there's no confusion though miss Higurashi, Inuyasha has been given a free pass today. He arranged it with me yesterday."

Kagome walked over to a nearby window, a safe distance away from Naraku. Sure enough, she spotted Inuyasha, looking impatient as he leaned against the gate. The rest of the students were leaving.

It occurred to Kagome then that without Inuyasha there, she and Naraku would be the only two people left in the school.

Her blood froze, all sorts of scenarios playing out in her mind as she faced the headmaster. His red eyes were on her, a smirk of cruel delight on his face as he watched her frightened blue eyes.

His Love Meter rose, and Kagome turned to flee.

She was roughly yanked back by a hand grabbing the back of her collar. Kagome was then shoved so that she was facing the window, Naraku grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back painfully as he kept her in place.

"I couldn't help but notice that a certain young boy has taken a keen interest in you." He breathed hotly against her neck and she shivered in revolution. Turning her sights to the gate, her heart started to beat wildly in her chest at the sight of Hojo.

"Yes, that one." He purred, before dragging her back until she was against the opposite wall and out of sight from onlookers.

She summoned her reiki, but without her hands free she could only put a light charge on her skin, and Naraku was careful to hold her arm where it was covered with a sleeve.

"What do you want?" Kagome gritted out, cheek against the wall.

"I want you to stay away from him. That he's become so attached to you could be hazardous to my own plans. If you don't comply, it would be a shame to loose one of the replaceable jocks in this school, what a great loss we'd all suffer." His voice was pitched so that he sounded genuinely dismayed.

Kagome twisted in his hold, growling. "You're a sick freak. You were then and you are now. I don't know why I even bought that headmaster spiel."

Naraku tightened his grip, making tears sting her eyes. "Such a vexing girl, so hypocritical. Do you not think it fair that you should be played with as much as you play with the emotions of others? I despise your sense of self entitlement, of course such a sweet girl like you couldn't possibly do any wrong. Yet it does bring me true pleasure to see you so apprehensive and frightened, so I can't hate you entirely."

Something clicked in her brain, and she turned as best she could so that she could look him in the eye.

"You know. Don't you?"

Naraku's face gave nothing away. He stared at her blankly, tilting his head to the side as if in confusion. "Know what, my dear?"

"T-that this world is-" His hand suddenly covered her mouth. She gave a muffled yell, wondering why he'd stopped her, when she finally got a glimpse at his face.

He was looking down the hallway, as if listening for something. His eyes then widened in fear and he let her go, turning her around quickly and straightening her clothes.

She was about to singe him within an inch of his life when his voice stopped her.

"If you tell anyone what happened here, I'll have the boy killed."

Kagome reeled as though struck, eyes wide. Then her hands clenched into fists of rage. How dare he try to blackmail her! He was still the loathsome enemy she'd fought in the past. Whether or not he remembered made no difference, he was evil, pure evil.

 _You seemed at peace in your final moments, why are you doing this again?_  She thought tearfully, remembering her last encounter with him in the feudal era. Kagome glared at him, and Naraku chuckled.

"I think you'll find it would be in your best interests to lie for me. I have certain relevant information that could be of importance to you." He smiled, completely confident that she would obey.

Kagome didn't get the chance to reply. The sound of soft foot steps could be heard approaching them. As they drew closer, the feel of malevolent intent practically radiated off them in waves. The dark aura was comforting in its familiarity though, and Kagome breathed out in relief.

Naraku instantly turned to go, bidding a short. "Good day, Mr. Taisho." To the newcomer.

The headmaster then scuttled off back into whatever dank place he'd crawled out from. Kagome watched him go with hate filled eyes.

"Miko."

Then Kagome remembered what Naraku had said, and realized that she'd actually have to lie to Sesshoumaru. Her relief was short lived as she turned to him, finding his eyes sharp and intent on her face.

_This isn't going to be easy._

Sparing Naraku was the last thing she wanted to do, and letting the Daiyoukai sharpen his claws on him sounded wonderful right about then. But she knew she couldn't risk other people's lives just because she wanted some payback. Besides that, she wanted to know what information he had. She wasn't so stupid that she believed he'd just tell her, but maybe she could find out another way.

Sesshoumaru grew impatient with her silence. "Explain."

Kagome waited for the Optional Dialogue to make its appearance, but she appeared to be on her own. She took a breath, remembering that he could smell the fear, dread and panic in the air.

"I was worried about a friend, and I guess I freaked out a bit." She said carefully. It wasn't technically lying. "Mr. Onigumo was here, and he tried to talk it out with me but I just got more upset. Then I eventually calmed down and you showed up. I'm alright now."

Kagome avoided his eyes for as long as she could, but when she finally looked up, she started in fear. Sesshoumaru bore down on her, his mouth set in a thin line, claws sharp at his side. Sharp static in the air alerted her to his aura. His eyes remained flat, face a blank mask, but that only made her more afraid. He was angry, and knew she was lying.

"I can sense every emotion you felt during your encounter with him. Try again."

She lowered her head, fists clenched at her sides. "I can't."

The demon lords youki pulled back, and quietly settled back into its host. Kagome felt like she could breathe again. His voice was calmer when he spoke, but still held an edge of anger. "Is it worth your pride to protect him?"

Kagome raised her chin, tears in her eyes. "I'm not protecting him by choice, but yes. My pride lives through the people I care about."

"So, is the friend that you mentioned in danger?"

Kagome nodded while Sesshoumaru seemed to consider this. "You fear for his well being because of the headmaster."

Again she nodded. "I can't let you do anything about this yet. If you did, I can't guarantee my friends safety. Besides that Nar-Mr. Onigumo has information I want to know."

He looked away from her, voice quiet and deadly. "There are other ways of getting information out of someone, miko."

"I-I know that, but its too soon to know anything for certain. I need you to wait." Kagome looked at him imploringly, begging him to understand.

She continued softly. "Besides, when the time comes..." Her nails bit into the palm of her hand and she raised her eyes to his. "I want to stop him myself."

The demon lord was silent after that, his eyes intent on her face. What felt like a long stretch of time passed, and Kagome bit her lip, her heart jumping when his eyes fell to her mouth. She wondered what he was thinking, knowing it probably wasn't very good.

Sesshoumaru stared at her, taking her in. His sharp eyes caught the way she winced when she self consciously held onto her arm. Her uniform was scruffy, as if it had been pulled and her cheeks were red as if she'd been crying.

It was the scent that was wrecking havoc on his senses though, the fear, the anxiety, the reiki that had tried to be used. It irritated his skin and made his claws bite into his palm. Then there was the headmasters scent dirtying the air, the scent of amusement, pleasure and hate.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and tried to focus on the girl in front of him. "I cannot do as you ask and do nothing."

She opened her mouth to speak but he held up a clawed hand. "However, I need only talk with him."

Kagome frowned and raised an eyebrow disbelievingly. A part of her wondered if his station as a teacher was the only reason he wanted to help her. "Only talk huh?"

"You doubt my word?"

Seeing how serious he looked, she shook her head. "No, but I do know that you prefer your claws covered in blood. From what I've seen you're not exactly the most diplomatic demon."

It was his turn to raise a brow as he stepped forward. Kagome looked at him as he passed, hoping he wouldn't put Hojo's life in jeopardy by getting too carried away.

When he was a few paces away, he stopped. "Inuyasha is waiting outside by the gate, this one suggests you go meet him."

Kagome wanted to wait for him, but she also didn't want to be left alone, so she agreed. "Alright...just...look you don't have to do this for me."

Sesshoumaru turned, his eyes flashing red for a moment, making her shiver. "It is not for you. Understand, you are not my charge, if you were such a thing would not be tolerated. However if Naraku approaches you again after my warning, nothing you say will stay my hand. It is out of principle that I do this. Not loyalty."

 _You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that._  Kagome watched him turn and leave. It was more than clear he wasn't acting on any feelings towards her, if he was, his Love Meter would have risen.

As it was, it remained at the red marker, and didn't look like it would be moving any time soon.


	10. The Cliches part 1

Kagome chewed her pencil thoughtfully. It wasn't every day you found yourself in a lavish mansion that housed two demons, yet she felt little inclination to explore it.

For the moment, she was consumed with thoughts about the game, and namely, her chosen love interest. After the incident with Naraku, she'd found Inuyasha (who'd grumbled all the way to his house about how late she'd been) and waited worriedly for the Daiyoukai.

She and Inuyasha had then studied in the living room, and worked on their project before deciding to take a break. While Inuyasha had been in the kitchen making some ramen, Sesshoumaru finally arrived.

Kagome had checked him over with a sweep of her eyes, not for wounds but for any evidence of possible murder. She'd smiled sheepishly when Sesshoumaru had caught her staring.

"Your 'detention' has been cancelled. You need not stay behind to clean the school anymore." Was his clear and crisp answer.

Kagome had breathed a sigh of relief, before she'd noted the pinpricks of blood on his claws. Words of thanks had died on her tongue and she frowned up at him.

"What's that?" She'd motioned to his hand.

Sesshoumaru had merely risen a brow. "My warning."

"I thought you said you'd only talk."

"He appeared to need a demonstration." He said flatly.

Kagome had launched into a speech that went ignored by him, which only angered her more. He passed her, walking through the open doors and intent on climbing the large staircase.

Before he had gotten more than a few steps, he'd turned back to her.

"I know not your intent, nor the reasoning behind what you do miko. This new...turn of events has shown blackmail, yet I sense there is more to it."

Kagome could say nothing. Things had gotten more complicated than she'd expected and now Sesshoumaru was doubly suspicious. His last words to her had been: "Make no mistake, this Sesshoumaru will find out what you know."

She was now thoroughly confused about where to go from there. Did she just continue as normal and try to pursue him? Or did she give him space and hope his suspicions blew over? She sighed in puzzlement.

A text book was dumped on her head and Kagome yelped in pain.

"Are you gonna leave now or do I have to kick you out?" Inuyasha stood over her.

She glared up at him and rubbed the bump that was beginning to form. "You're such a jerk, you could have asked nicely you know?"

"Keh, yeah well you've been spacing out for the past 10 minutes. Didn't know how else to get your attention. C'mon I'll walk you back." He said gruffly, naturally falling back into his tough guy act so that no one suspected him of actually caring.

As the two walked to the shrine, Inuyasha explained the workings of the mansion. There were apparently nine rooms upstairs, four in each wing and one in the middle. The East Wing was Inuyasha's to do with as he pleased, and The West Wing belonged to Sesshoumaru.

"Isn't that amount of space a little...excessive?" Kagome sweat dropped, though knowing the two brothers, it probably wasn't enough.

"You could make that mansion five miles long and I still wouldn't be far enough away from that bastard. I can still smell him and he gets on my last nerve. We've had five repair jobs done on the mansion already cos the walls keep caving in."

Kagome rose a brow at him, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "And why would that be?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched in agitation. "...maybe because the bastard keeps throwing me through them."

"And?" She prodded.

"Feh. And because I kept punching holes everywhere I guess."

Kagome smiled knowingly.  _That's what I thought._

It was dark by the time they made it to Kagome's house, and after a short goodbye, the two went their separate ways.

Kagome opened the front door, and seeing no lights on, figured that everyone had gone to sleep. The house was pitch black and silent inside. She had no idea what the time was but it must have been later than she'd thought. Shivering, and hoping it was just the weather that caused her unease, she took off her shoes and flicked the light switch.

Her mother was suddenly right in front of her, the light bathing her in a glow. She smiled kindly, paying no mind to Kagome's startled yelp.

"I thought you were already upstairs asleep sweetheart, you didn't tell me you were out."

"O-oh, I'm sorry mom. I was just with a friend." Kagome blinked at her fake mother, heart beating rapidly in her chest. Her mother's smile was so unnaturally thin, as if it were painful for her to keep the expression. Now that Kagome thought about it, she hadn't seen her fake mother make any other face. Her brown eyes were direct and never looked away a single moment. She didn't blink.

"A friend? Who is he dear?"

Kagome didn't know how she knew she'd been out with a boy, but figured it was something to do with the game.

"Inuyasha. He's just a good friend." She added quickly, trying to reassure her after noticing her mothers eye twitch.

The fake Mrs. Higurashi kept the same painfully nice expression for a few moments longer, with Kagome awkwardly standing there waiting for her to react. She felt distinctly uncomfortable with the woman's unflinching stare.

Finally though, the fake mother closed her eyes happily. "That's good dear. I wouldn't want anything to change in our family, and a boy would just get in the way of your studies. I'm sure you know that though, don't you honey?"

The words might have been said comfortingly, but Kagome could only see it as a thinly veiled threat. She wondered why her mother was so against her having a boyfriend, when normally she'd be supporting her. In otome games, it was rare the main heroine had any parents, but if they did they always stayed out of the way of the drama. So did that mean her fake mother had her own agenda, like Naraku?

Comparing her mother with Naraku was not something she wanted to do, but that seemed to be the case here. Avoiding Mrs. Higurashis probing gaze, she nodded mutely.

"Okay sweetheart. Off you go to bed then." Her mother ushered her up the stairs, and Kagome was only too happy to get away.

Bidding a hasty goodnight, she closed the door and leaned against it. Bringing a shaky hand to her head, the mothers words echoed in her mind.  _I wouldn't want anything to change._

Then there was Naraku's words.  _I want you to stay away from him. That he's become so attached to you could be hazardous to my own plans._

Did they both not want her to complete the game? Or was it something else?

Kagome slid down the door and breathed out heavily. It wasn't hard enough that she had to pursue an Ice Prince, oh no. Now she had to worry about Naraku and her mother.

And then there was the business with Hojo, but if she avoided him then that situation should work itself out. She'd just have to be careful whenever she went anywhere at school.

Last but not least, there was Rin and Shippo at the Orphanage. She had a feeling Sesshoumaru himself could be the key to finding them though, so she'd have to wait until his Love Meter was a little higher.

As annoying as it was to deal with several things at once, side quests were not uncommon in otome games. They were cliches that you had to deal with as they came, and though a little shaken, she didn't think she'd handled them badly. The fact remained though that they were  _side_  quests, and she didn't think any of them could help her escape this world. She needed to try and get the Love Meter up.

An idea sprang to mind, and she lifted her head.  _Cliches...that's it!_

Picking herself up from the floor, Kagome went to her closet and opened it. Her eyes strayed to each differently coloured bag, (none of which she owned in the real world) until they landed on a white one. She grabbed it, and tried to distract herself from the sound of light footsteps lingering outside her door.

She did this by mentally drawing up her plan of attack on the Love Meter.

OOO

Ducking around the corner that led to Eri's house, Kagome continued on until she got to a familiar street lined with buildings all pressed together. A few blank faced drones stood talking to each other along the pavement, but Kagome didn't pay them any mind.

Instead, she straightened out of what she called 'stealth mode', and began to walk confidently down the street. Her ears listened keenly for the sound of fast footsteps as she walked, gripping the white bag on her shoulder. _Come on Mr. Thief Man. Come and steal this empty bag so I can get robbed just like before._

Kagome's reasoning for visiting this scenario again was this; If Cliches existed in this world, then why couldn't she use them as a romantic advantage? They happened all the time in romantic comedies to get the main couple together. Besides that, it had worked with Koga, so she didn't see the harm in trying.

_Sesshoumaru isn't Koga though._

Kagome frowned. While that was true, the fact remained that he was in a dating sim, and he was as much a victim of the games rules as she was. Cliches could work on him if she found the right one, though admittedly this one was a bit far fetched. She hoped she'd chosen the right bag to summon Sesshoumaru.

Before she could reconsider though, a hand shot out from no where and snatched the bag. Kagome gasped and almost lost her footing, staggering as the thief pushed her out the way and made a run for it. It was exactly the same man as before, right down to his clothes.

Kagome growled, and ran a couple of paces. "Hey! Stop you thief!"

The man continued running, and Kagome floundered, looking around for Sesshoumaru.

 _Where the heck is he? He can't save me if he doesn't even show up!_  Sighing in agitation, because in all honesty, she'd really liked that bag, Kagome ran forward.

Her eyes followed the movements of the thief as he simply ran in a straight line, but at a quick enough pace that she was falling behind again. That was when she noticed him pass by a sharply dressed man on the street. The man was immersed in a book of some sort, but only when Kagome got closer was she able to read the title; A Guide to Japanese History.

Her eyes widened.  _Him learning that kind of knowledge about the future probably isn't good._  Kagome skidded to a stop clumsily, and would have crashed into him had he not stepped out of the way.

She panted, chocking on her breath for air as she looked up at him in shock. "S- Se- Sesshoumaru!"

He glanced up from the book he was reading with one hand, his thumb acting as a bookmark as he closed it and looked at her with bored eyes. "Miko."

"T-that man-" She held the stitch in her side, holding back a string of curses that would have made even sailors blush. She couldn't think about his reading material at the moment, she had a job to do first.

"He took my bag!" Kagome made her eyes wide, and her voice tremble for added effect. It was the same tactic she'd used on Inuyasha when he refused to let the group stop for a break in the old days. The hanyou hated rest stops, but one tearful word from her and he'd give in no problem. Either that or a few 'Sits.'

She waited for his response, trying not to get impatient when he seemed to lack any sense of urgency.

Sesshoumaru merely blinked languidly, and turned with no apparent hurry in the direction the thief was running. Kagome felt her hope rise when his feet shifted. His eyes focused on the man, and he then appeared to be judging the distance between them.

Kagome held her breath, a smile coming to her lips-

His thumb moved back, and Sesshoumaru flipped the book open, immersed once more in its pages. "Hn, you'd best go catch him then."

He then pivoted on his heel and turned away, carrying on in the opposite direction. A sharp squeak could be heard behind him, but it went ignored.

Silence reigned, only broken by Kagome's labored breathing. _That...that JERK!_

The demon lord continued on his merry way, apparently oblivious to Kagome who gaped after him.

"Y-you-" She turned back to where the thief had ran off to, but he'd finally slipped out of sight.

Kagome trembled with rage, but a part of her knew that she'd been angry with Koga for acting all macho and stepping in last time. So perhaps she should be happy that Sesshoumaru appeared to know better, that she didn't want any help.

However, it was the principle of the matter. All it would've taken him was some common courtesy, enough to ask, 'excuse me young lady, would you like some assistance?'

"Yet does he do that? No! Of course not. Jerk, pompous, arrogant youkai!" Kagome seethed, knowing he could hear her.

In a moment of insanity, she gripped her foot and tore off her shoe again, aiming it at Sesshoumaru's head.

Just like last time, her slender fingers wrapped around it, and she knew with her aim she couldn't miss. Archery had made her judgement of distances flawless, all it would take was the right amount of force. She brought her arm back, aiming high as her stance widened.

Yet as she watched the arrogant demon walk away, her eyes fell to the Love Meter beside him. It hadn't moved, and it probably wouldn't if she kept losing her cool like this. As much as she wanted to throw the shoe, hearing the satisfying 'boop' that was was sure to follow, she also didn't want to lose her chance of getting out of here by being reckless.

_Then again, he's an Ice Prince. His character type is usually closed off, but the heroine does something and it gains his interest, no matter how stupid._

Kagome wavered, but her split second of indecision cost her. Sesshoumaru had stopped and turned, looking over his shoulder as if sensing the ill intent she had towards him. Gold clashed with blue, and the mikos limbs froze, feeling as if she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

Kagome frowned as Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes.

After a moment, he gave a soft chuckle that was barely heard by Kagome. But she knew,  _knew_  he was laughing at her. He then turned away again, as if fully confident she wouldn't throw.

Kagome took the cookie.

Her eyes flashed and readying her arm again, threw with all the pent up rage of a hell cat. She didn't stop to see what happened next, no matter how satisfying the sight of it would be. Kagome sprinted with all her might, and knew he was on her tail the second she felt a dark aura swamp the air around her.  _Or I could do something to piss him off instead._

The image of red eyes haunted her steps, and Kagome if possible ran even faster. Some shadowy harbinger of death pursued her with an intense desire for revenge.

Blood pumped through her veins and her heart sang in her ears. She hadn't been chased like this since before Naraku's defeat three years ago.

The miko was dashing madly for the school, and was nearly there when she threw up a shield behind her. She didn't know what had clashed against it, whether it was his claws or something else, but she had the strangest notion to laugh. In fact, laughter bubbled up inside her, whirling inside her chest and stealing what little air she had left. A grin came to Kagome's face when she spotted the entrance, and the dark creature pursuing her gave one final release of its aura, the very wind seeming to open its jaws and crack with lightning.

Kagome didn't care though, she dropped to the ground and gave a poor attempt at a ninja roll through the doors of the school. She ended up with her face pressed against the floor, but quickly straightened, smiling in victory.

Looking behind her out the glass doors, she couldn't see a soul, or feel any youki in the air.

Breathing hard in elation and exhaustion, Kagome made her way to class, thoroughly disheveled.  _Okay...so that happened. That might have thrown a wrench in our plans to woo Sesshoumaru. Though to be fair, I did shoot an arrow at his face once, and he only 'attempted' to kill me._

It was when Kagome was dutifully sitting in class did it actually hit home what she'd done. She'd thrown a shoe at the Lord of the West. The so named 'Killing Perfection.' She was doomed.

As good as dead.

So when the bell rang, happily signalling a break from tiresome studies, Kagome stayed glued to her chair.

When all the students had left except the teacher, he turned back to her, almost managing to look surprised despite his non emotive face. "Miss Higurashi? You can't stay in here during break. I'm closing the classroom."

Kagome shrank in her seat, and nearly cried; "But it's safe in here!"

Instead though, she mustered her courage and accepted her fate. Rising from her desk, she made her way outside, checking to the left and right to see if it was safe. There was no sign of him, and she couldn't sense his youki, but Sesshoumaru was able to hide his aura, and could easily be hiding in plain sight, invisible to her.

Turning in a paranoid circle and straining her senses, Kagome didn't sense the attack from above until it was too late.

A hard force struck the crown of her head, and Kagome died.

Well...not entirely, but she did pass out for two seconds and she felt that more than counted. Opening her eyes slowly, her vision swam until it was able to focus on the white puffy clouds above her. She fancied for a moment that she was back in the real world, and felt joy rise in her chest, only for her to turn her sights to the sun.

Unfortunately she wasn't blinded from it, and white dots did not permeate her vision. She frowned sourly. Rising heavily from the ground, Kagome winced, feeling another bump on the back of her head. Rubbing it tentatively, she looked up, blinking.

Sesshoumaru stood next to her, one hand still holding his open book, though he appeared to be on the last page. Turning his dark golden eyes from the book to her, he held up a familiar object in his other hand.

"I believe you dropped this, miko."

Kagome stared up at him with wide eyes, and caught the brown school shoe when he tossed it to her. She then lightly touched the heel of her shoe, noting its sharpness.

"Did-did you just drop this on my head?"

Sesshoumaru gave a 'hn' of confirmation, eyes on the book once more.

Kagome looked above her, measuring the distance from the school roof where he must have stood and dropped it from, to where she now sat.

"You could have killed me from that height! That's a four story building!" She exclaimed in horror.

The demon then shut his book, apparently done with it. He then turned and looked at her as if she were being dramatic. "Just the same, you could have done harm to this Sesshoumaru by fusing your reiki into the shoe when it struck me."

Kagome rose a brow and stared at him flatly.  _Now who's being dramatic?_

They shared a look, oddly no resentment passing between them. In fact, Kagome felt a little lighter after the chase, and Sesshoumaru's eyes were a dark gold once more. It even seemed like his markings were bolder.

She picked herself off the ground and put her shoe back on. Wiping the dirt from her clothes, she muttered. "You're still a jerk."

Sesshoumaru didn't respond, though his eyes didn't seem as cold as before. Kagome smiled, despite the ache in her skull. A thought occurred to her then, and she was about to dismiss it when she remembered that her other plan had failed. She wasn't sure whether initiating it was a good idea, but knew she had to try something to get him to react to her in a somewhat positive way.

"Hey, how about we just put this and all that other stuff behind us? You know, like a fresh start?" Kagome hesitated, before she held out her hand daringly, knowing this action wasn't as lighthearted as it appeared.

Hand against hand, she knew any other demon would think of a handshake with a miko to be a death trap. Her reiki's strongest point was at her fingertips after all, and though she'd touched his arm when bandaging him, this would be direct contact.

Sesshoumaru's lip lifted in a slight smirk at her audacity, but his large, claw tipped hand grasped hers none the less. "I wasn't aware we needed one miko. There is no bad blood between us."

The Love Meter rose just an inch, enough to make it hover extremely close to the orange marker, yet Kagome was too distracted by the warmth of his hand to think much on it.

His thumb touched close to her wrist, the tip of his claw resting against her skin. A reminder that he wasn't the only one who was in a potentially dangerous position. The poison in his veins lay dormant now, just like her powers, but one thought from him and his claws could do more than rip into her skin.

Kagome's smile faltered, before her back straightened. Both of them quietly observed the other for a moment until she shrugged. "Well, it'll make me feel better anyway."

Sesshoumaru cut his eyes to the sky, as if rolling them was too common for him. "And what would this one gain from such an alliance?"

She tilted her head, brow furrowed. In truth, she couldn't think of much. If things went as planned, Sesshoumaru wouldn't be gaining anything from _her_  specifically. The only thing he'd get was freedom...but perhaps that could be enough.

Kagome raised head and answered honestly. "I guess that's up to you."

He shot her a side long glance, weighing her words. It seemed like the demon didn't really know what to make of her. Still, he didn't turn away from the offer. "Very well, an eye for an eye. Now we are even."

Kagome nodded, feeling the warmth of his palm enclosing her much smaller hand. Perhaps his Love Meter hadn't risen that much despite her efforts, but she certainly felt her hope and spirits lift up.

Besides, even if she hadn't gotten it to another marker, she still had a few more cliches up her sleeve to try out before Valentines Day.


	11. The Cliches part 2

For the next few days, Kagome felt like a stalker.

She was watching someone without their knowledge or consent over a long period of time. She'd even taken it one step further by writing down his likes and dislikes, and she pondered all sorts of things like what sort of music, tea or colours he preferred. She wondered what to get him for Valentines and if he'd even accept a gift from her. If he did, what would he like? And was chocolate poisonous to him if he was a dog demon but not actually a dog?

Her most hated question without doubt though was; What kind of woman appealed to him most?

Kagome was going insane.

There was nothing more tedious than trying to get into the mind of someone just so you could appeal to them better. She felt dirty and manipulative, she felt tired and fed up. Mostly though, Kagome felt frustrated.

He was impossible. Sesshoumaru was so damnably private and closed off it was difficult to know if he found enjoyment in anything besides fighting battles. She didn't know what music he preferred, and though she'd spied him drinking tea she hadn't been close enough to find out what kind. She had him pegged as an Earl Grey kind of guy, but she wasn't about to root through his bin to find out.

Kagome didn't know if he liked the colour white, but he certainly wore allot of white shirts. Aside from that, there was nothing new she'd found out about him.

Her list of his likes and dislikes was pathetically short. She glanced it over with troubled eyes.

Likes; Battles, swords, armor, combat, flight and Rin.

Dislikes; Loud mouthed people, rudeness, humans, Naraku and Inuyasha.

Since the Love Meter wasn't below the minimum marker and he hadn't declared his everlasting love to her, Kagome could only assume she was somewhere in the middle. She'd dejectedly put herself in a new list.

Neither likes nor dislikes; Ah-Un, Jaken and Kagome.

Her teeth gnawed at her bottom lip. She was on the same level as Jaken, not a good sign.

Unfortunately Kagome was treading a very dangerous line. She'd nearly been caught several times, and she knew Sesshoumaru would not take kindly to her stalking him. Besides that, she had moments of being loud mouthed, she could be rude and she  _was_  a human. So how the heck was she supposed to get him to like her?

"Does this mean I have to change my entire personality?" She wondered aloud, hand on her chin as she rested on a park bench.

_No, that's stupid. The heroines in otome games don't have to change their personality to get guys. They just...get guys._

Now that she thought about it, the first time she'd played an otome game, she'd ended up alone. The possibility that you could lose and stay single in a dating sim hadn't even entered her mind, and she'd been stunned. Kagome had only been playing as herself, and she'd made the choices according to what she would have said in the heroines position. As she'd learned the hard way though, that was no way to win a love interest in a game. Who knew, maybe she'd have to change a little to appeal to Sesshoumaru more.

She had a feeling he'd be attracted to a woman who was confidant, mature and controlled. Kagome scratched her temple, considering this. She could be confident, but looked younger than her actual age, so it would be difficult for her to pull off an air of maturity and Kagome doubted she even could. But she felt in control when she was firing arrows at things. Maybe the archery class cliche could work to her advantage then.

Even so, changing a key part of herself so that a guy might find her more attractive seemed like a shallow and dishonest thing to do. She felt rotten even considering it. But if using the archery cliche she'd planned didn't work, and Valentines was a failure, Kagome wasn't sure what else to do.

"I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. But if Sesshoumaru doesn't like me the way I am, even if I try to be a little more calmer and serious, then I can't do anything about it. You can't force attraction after all." She sighed heavily, watching the cherry blossoms drift soundlessly in the breeze. It was so quiet at the park, no children in sight.

She'd discovered the park on her way back from Inuyasha's, only just realizing that his house was further down from the library. She hadn't been able to walk down so far before, as the street had been cut off by buildings. It seemed like she'd unlocked it somehow by being invited over, and wondered how many other places she might be able to get to if she played the scenario's right. The orphanage was certainly one of them.

"Rin and Shippo would like this place." Kagome murmured, a little home sick.

Thinking about them only made her resolve grow stronger though. She needed to at least try before she gave up on herself. Standing, she grabbed her bag and briskly left the park.

Arriving at the school with time to spare, Kagome had noted beforehand that today she had a double lesson of sport. Turning towards the pavilion, she headed for the archery club. She hadn't signed up to actually take part in the club yet, but for her to woo Sesshoumaru, she figured she needed to. The demon lord responded to power, that much was obvious, and though her 'technique' wasn't professional, she had enough reiki to impress him. All that was needed was the right way to catch his interest, and archery was something she was already good at.

Humming to herself, she stepped towards the closed door of the archery pavilion and went to push it open. The door didn't budge. Kagome frowned in confusion, giving it another push in case it was stuck. Stepping back, she figured it really was locked, though she couldn't remember a time it ever had been. A white piece of paper was stuck to the wall next to the entrance, and Kagome curiously went to read it.

The sign read; 'Due to a lack of members, the Archery Club has been dropped from the list of Sports Events.'

"What!" Kagome exclaimed, eyes wide.

 _Great, well now what do I do?_  She frowned, but thought about it logically. If she roped some people into helping her then she could sign up no problem and re open the club. Then she'd be able to spark Sesshoumaru's interest, and the whole thing would be solved. Eri and Yume might be hesitant, but Kagome was fairly sure they'd help her. Now all she needed to do was find the guy in charge.

"If you want to know more about it, talk to Sango. She's in the Gym." Came a bored voice.

Kagome looked up to see Bankotsu leaning against the wall, his hand on the hilt of 'his companion.' The miko gulped at the imposing looking halberd, the blade resembling Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga in size. She was then struck by the memory of Manten giving Hiten the Raigekijin, and furrowed her brow. Why were they hanging around the school with their swords? She hadn't noticed Bankostu with Banryu before, but then she remembered Hiten's words, and figured that they must be sparring with them.

"Urr, thanks." Kagome smiled, hoping she looked more at ease than she felt.

Bankotsu seemed to have already dismissed her in favor of watching a white butterfly flutter past instead.

"Are you okay?" She asked, a part of her needing to ask after seeing the distant look in his eyes. Bankotsu didn't reply, but Kagome tried again.

"Who were you writing that death threat to anyway?"

Seeing how withdrawn he was, she started to worry despite the knowledge that he was a cold blooded killer. The games scenario's didn't have much excitement to them, and Bankostu lived for the thrill of things. Without the fun of battle, he seemed so subdued, like a shell of his former self.

"Inuyasha. He stole my pencil." Bankostu finally replied, voice empty of any emotion.

Kagome sweat dropped. "Huh, well that sucks. You know, I think he's a little bored himself. Why don't you go find him?"

 _Great suggestion Kagome, tell the murderer to go find your best friend. It's not like they tried to kill each other in the past or anything._  Bankotsu raised his head and seemed to consider this. He then straightened, a cruel light entering his eyes.

Knowing what he was probably thinking about, she quickly added; "But no fights to the death alright?"

The former leader frowned but shrugged, his gaze flat. "Of course, can't have too much fun can we?"

Kagome was struck by the thought that perhaps Bankostu knew more than he let on. She didn't ask though, and soon gave into the need to leave. He still made her uncomfortable, and she wasn't about to ask him anything like that. She walked away, wondering if he was lonely because the Band of Seven weren't around. She found it odd that Hiten had Manten and Souten in the game when none of Bankotsu's friends had joined him.

Following the path round to the Gymnasium, Kagome opened its large door, looking around for any sign of the demon slayer. She found Sango on the Balance beam not too far away, who expertly leaped and somersaulted into a landing. Kagome wasn't surprised, Sango used to have incredible flexibility and strength in the feudal era, so she looked only natural doing gymnastics.

Sango finished her form and finally noticed Kagome, who smiled.

"That was pretty amazing!" She exclaimed, meaning it. Kagome had always liked watching Sango train, as even though she herself lacked the talent to pull off her leaps and dives, Sango's fighting style was too impressive not to be in awe of.

"Oh, thank you. Did you want to try it yourself?" Sango smiled modestly, and motioned to the Balance beam.

Kagome took a look at the ominous padded beam, remembering all the embarrassing times she'd tried to steady herself enough to stand up on it. Needless to say the memories involved allot of falling off.

She gave a nervous laugh. "Ah no, I'm good thanks. I'm actually allot more into archery than gymnastics."

Sango's smile fell, and she looked a little dismayed. "I see, you're here about the Archery club huh? I'm really sorry about the cancellation, but there's nothing I can do if the club doesn't have enough members."

"I'm not a member of it yet but I'd like to be. So would my friends, we're all really keen to learn. Wouldn't three more members be enough to reopen it?" Kagome felt worry knot in her stomach. If she couldn't be in the Archery club there wasn't much else she could think of that would catch Sesshoumaru's eye. He was a battle orientated demon, and her archery skills could be something he'd respect, since she couldn't use a sword.

Sango ran a hand through her hair, her brown eyes narrowed in thought. Kagome waited until she turned back to her.

"Alright, it's a deal-"

"YES! Thank you Sango, you're the best." Kagome grinned, making the older girl look a little unnerved. Kagome quieted and made a mental note to try and tone herself down a bit. Sango didn't think of her as a best friend after all.

"Wait, don't thank me just yet. I was going to say its a deal IF you agree to step in for another club in need of members."

The miko rocked back on her heels, considering this. "Um...okay. I guess. What club are we talking about?"

Sango smiled so serenely that it reminded Kagome of her fake mother, which now that she thought about it, that probably wasn't a good sign.

OOO

The air outside was crisp and clear, just like any other Spring day. It held enough of a chill that could nip at your ankles though, and for Kagome, her legs were cold enough with a skirt on.

"No! I- I cant do it! Never again, nope, nadaa, no way in hell. I left this behind me when I finished school!" She raged, thankfully alone in the locker rooms as she crossed her arms and threatened to stamp her foot like a child.

The sport Sango had picked out for her wasn't so bad. Kagome enjoyed Volleyball, and hadn't been that bad at it in the past. That wasn't the problem. The problem was the barely there shorts.

Bloomers were a nightmare from the past that she'd thought she'd finally escaped from since leaving middle school. Unfortunately the red monstrosities had come back with a vengeance.

"I don't think these are even in most schools anymore. I only see them in animes these days. Dammit, do I really have to wear these again?" Kagome muttered, staring down at the red bloomers with evident hatred.

She wasn't naive enough not to notice how short her skirt was, she'd known even when she was 15. Yet now she was 19 it was practically a mini skirt, and she fought not to pull it down every time there was a light breeze. The bloomers however, had a nasty habit of exposing underwear accidentally from riding up, and they felt like you were walking around in a swim suit. That had been four years ago, and she'd done some growing since then. She dreaded to think what they'd be like to wear now.

"Kagome! Are you joining us or what?" A voice called. It was Ayame, who'd turned out to be the captain of the volleyball team.

Kagome heaved a long suffering sigh. "Yeah, in a minute."

She held the bloomers up and glared at them, willing them to spontaneously combust. When they did not catch fire from pure willpower, she begrudgingly put them on.

 _Oh god, they're worse than before._  The bloomers were tight and deeply uncomfortable, Kagome looked in the mirror to see the damage.  _Huh. I don't look bad per se...but that still doesn't make this any less embarrassing._

She took a breath, looking past her blushing face and noting her form, how long her legs looked. Kagome tried to focus on the fact that her legs were definitely her best feature, and no matter how uncomfortable the bloomers were to wear, she could make it work if she held her head up.

With renewed confidence, Kagome smoothed the barely there shorts on her hips and walked out the door. 

The cool air bit into her exposed skin, and Kagome put her hands on her arms to keep from rubbing her cold legs. The rest of the team were already doing warm up exercises, and Kagome was about to go join them when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.

Silver was the first thing she noticed, long strands of moonlit coloured hair were caught in a breeze that made her made her own locks lift up. She pushed them away and gawked, but Sesshoumaru said nothing, he merely stared. Kagome had been so focused on planning the archery cliche that she hadn't even realized she'd walked right into one until that moment. 

Kagome felt her shoulders tense and her cheeks warm, feeling the rising embarrassment threaten to steal her determination. Her exposed knees shook, a moment of weakness infront of the proud demon whom she was sure had never felt chagrin in his life.

Surprisingly enough he didn't seem to be mocking her state of distress, he merely rose a brow. "Miko, I trust you are well?"

Kagome's eyes widened, and she felt her ire rise to try and battle her self-consciousness. "You're being nice?"

His eyes stayed perfectly level with her face but Kagome knew she'd seen him look. He was probably laughing at her right now but it was hard to tell, his face was perfectly blank save for that damned eyebrow.

"I believe we became allies of sorts upon our last meeting. Or are your agreements so easily forgotten?"

Kagome frowned and folded her arms in an effort not to pull her school shirt down over her thighs. His midsummer night eyes were almost daring her to cave into her embarrassment. He looked so annoyingly perfect and pristine.

"I-I suppose, guess my head was somewhere else."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru didn't seem too impressed, and his eyes wandered away from her. She inwardly cursed herself for stuttering and felt her annoyance with him grow. He continued to watch something far off in the distance, looking somewhat bored, and Kagome's spine straightened as a reflex. She unfolded her arms. Being snubbed was not something she appreciated.

Kagome narrowed her eyes, before she smiled and held her head up. "Actually I must have been distracted by this sports wear, I think the size is too small. It's only natural though I suppose, I am 19 years old after all, no wonder it doesn't fit me if it's meant for the younger students."

Sesshoumaru had turned back to her, looking a little surprised. Kagome's teeth flashed. He could play high and mighty all he wanted, but Kagome wouldn't let him ignore her. She'd purposefully draw attention to her insecurity if it meant she could throw him off balance just once. It had worked, and as she'd assumed, he hadn't known her age. He'd probably thought she was 15 or 16.

She made her expression as innocent as possible when he raised a brow in disbelief. "Why remain here if you are of age to leave?"

"Oh I was held back a few years due to an illness." Kagome waved a hand dismissively, it wasn't completely lying.

There was suddenly a loud shriek of pure fear.

Both Sesshoumaru and Kagome turned instinctively at the noise. However, it only appeared to be Miroku being dragged off by an angry Sango who'd caught him spying.

Kagome sighed in dismay, drawing attention to herself again. She probably should have stopped there, but a sharpness was in her voice and her tongue refused to curb. "It's a real shame though, being a bit older than everyone. None of the guys around here really make a lasting impression because of how immature they can be. They're easily forgotten, you know?" She said flatly, looking him square in the face.  _Guess my head was somewhere else._

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed, and he tensed. Neither of the budged for a moment. She'd probably get in trouble later for slighting him like that, but Kagome didn't care. If he could snub her, she'd snub him.

 _Ice Prince's need to be called out on their high and mighty attitude by the heroine._  Kagome thought, turning away when one of her teammates called her name. If she were being honest though, she'd been reacting off her embarrassment rather than thinking logically.

"I'll see you later Mr. Taisho. Nice talking with you." She smiled sweetly, unable to stop herself and earning another pensive look from Sesshoumaru.

Of course, he couldn't help but unbalance her confident mood once again when she'd turned towards her team. He couldn't let her go unscathed after that act of blatant defiance. "Miko, your undergarments are showing."

Kagome flushed red, and hissed a string of curses as she quickly adjusted her bloomers, glaring over her shoulder at the arrogant demon. So much for friendship bracelets and rainbows where their relationship was concerned.

Sesshoumaru smirked faintly and looked like he was preparing to leave. Kagome was practically spitting flames, but her attention was demanded elsewhere as Ayame spoke to her. "Kagome, you'll need to tie your hair back before we begin."

Kagome blinked, brought out of her mortification as she nodded. "O-oh yeah, sorry about that."

She wriggled her hair band free from around her wrist and pulled her hair back, trying to smooth some of the tangled locks. Kagome's hair was untamable and wavy as it fell against her neck, but she pushed it aside, glad for the cool air on her heated skin.

It was as she had her arms raised, and back curved invitingly, that she turned to where Sesshoumaru had been standing. She'd expected him to have already gone, his oh so clever comeback had hit its mark after all, so why would he stay?

Whatever the reason was, it had him rooted in place. From the way he was staring at her, she could only assume it was something she'd done. Her hands froze in her hair, and their eyes locked. His dark gold eyes were intent, and Sesshoumaru had gone absolutely still, his attention transfixed on her.

 _W-what? What did I do?_  Kagome swallowed, unsure how to respond. She'd never seen him look at her that way before. It wasn't angry, or something easily named. Yet, shockingly, she found the heat in his gaze resembled something far more adult than she had experience with. Kagome pushed the thought away, unwilling to believe it, and scoffing at her fanciful nature.  _But then...why is he looking at me like that?_

Her fingers brushed her neck, and his eyes followed the movement.

It was then that Kagome understood. She didn't know much about demon courtships or what they entailed, but she had heard some things about body language and the actions mates did for one another.

Exposing your throat or neck could be seen as a blatant invitation, or a sign of submission, or both. That she'd arched her back and was now looking over her shoulder at him probably didn't help. Kagome was confused as to why he'd even noticed though, or why he was paying her attention. Surely as a human she was beneath his notice in such matters.

It didn't seem that way to him though.

Kagome was caught, torn between what to do. Her natural reaction was to lower her hair again and turn away, to try and forget it even happened. This was Sesshoumaru! Inuyasha's hated half brother. What was he doing looking at her like he wanted to devour her?

But then she thought about the otome game, that she could make up for her earlier attitude by giving in and being a good heroine. Because all heroines in otome games must be submissive, sweet and virginal creatures. They couldn't have sharp words, flashing eyes or wild hair. That was probably why she'd failed the first time she'd played a game, before she'd curbed herself to fit the love interest's ideals.

Kagome riled against the thought like a stubborn mule. Keeping her gaze locked with his, she lowered her hair so that it covered her neck once more. Instead of turning away though, she slowly let her arms fall to her sides and stayed partially turned towards him.

Kagome had expected him to be angry at her defiance. She heard a deep rumble from his chest and started, realizing it was a growl. This was nothing compared to when she raised her blue eyes to meet his though, as she jumped in shock.

Sesshoumaru seemed  _pleased_  by her actions. So much so that the Love Meter rose to the orange marker beside him.

 _Oh you have got to be kidding me._  Kagome reeled in surprise, her eyes wide. He didn't smile, but his eyes were warm and hooded. Her heart beat wildly in her chest.

"Kagome! Come on! Are you going to play or not?" Yelled Ayame, breaking her out of the spell by the sharp blow of her whistle.

It seemed to do the same for Sesshoumaru, as he blinked, and a moment later his eyes widened in surprise before his expression closed off. His face was blank and empty as he drew away slightly. He was the old Sesshoumaru once more, and Kagome marveled that even the heat of his gaze had turned flat and cold. He turned away from her almost dismissively, lips curved down.

Sesshoumaru left, taking the heavy, static air that had stolen her senses with him. Kagome stood frozen, breathless.

After a moment, she finally went to join her teammates, and was too shaken to really notice her bloomers anymore. It was just like in the feudal era again, where the worry of demons had taken priority over whether her skirt was appropriate or not. She felt a little lost, yet a part of her knew she was at an advantage from this encounter.

A youkai's body language wasn't something Kagome had considered. In fact she'd been so preoccupied with worrying about music and tea or his likes and dislikes, that she'd overlooked something important. Sesshoumaru was an inuyoukai, and she couldn't forget that he was a beast born of instinct as much as he was an intelligent being.

As such, he probably valued that silent language more than she knew, and if she stood any chance of winning him, she needed to learn it. Perhaps her hopeful feeling hadn't been unfounded after all.

Kagome hit the ball and tried to shake off the goosebumps that whispered over her skin.


	12. The Mini Game

Fresh scents permeated the air as cherry blossoms drifted listlessly on the breeze. Despite the calm atmosphere, the school was abuzz with activity, with many of its students glowing with the excitement and warmth that first love brought. Kagome stood at the school gate, awed into silence at the transformation of the school.

Pink streamers hung everywhere, with heart shaped balloons, red roses and love symbols combined, they practically drowned the school in one big Valentines wave. It was ridiculously over the top, and nothing like how Valentines Day had been at her school in the real world. That day was usually a quiet one, with both shy and brave girls giving chocolate to boys. Sometimes the gifts were meant romantically, other times it was just obligatory chocolate they gave out to classmates or co workers. Guys didn't typically give anything back on that day, and instead waited until White Day to return the favor.

This tidbit of information seemed to have passed by the students in this game, and instead, rows of stalls selling Valentines merchandise, cotton candy, sweets, and other romance themed goodies were all lined up in the courtyard. Everyone was either giving or receiving chocolate, and even looking at the love themed school was enough to give you a cavity.

Kagome's eye twitched.

A flashing light caught her attention, and she turned to where the red exclamation icon hovered in mid air. She frowned, and passed a hand over it. The icon was replaced by bubbly bright letters, which read as; 'Happy Valentines Day!'

'This will be a special event day! Please choose a mini game to take part in. If you win, you may pick one gift out of three options that you can give to your chosen love interest. Have fun in Feudal Fairytale's Valentine Event!'

Kagome was honestly more wary than perturbed by the message. Something like a Valentines Day event wasn't too much of a surprise in a dating game after all. What made her worry though was the fact that they hadn't shown her what the gift options were.

If she won this little mini game, but the gift turned out to be something Sesshouamru hated, then this would be all for naught. Or she could just try giving him chocolate herself.  _Yeah and I'm sure that'll work out. Knowing my luck the chocolate will be poisonous to him like it is to dogs, and he'll try to kill me for attempted murder._

Kagome rubbed her head, hesitantly making her way into the foray of pink and red streamers. Confetti rained down from the sky, covering the playground in tiny love patterns. Either way, she mused, ducking out the way of a hyper schoolgirl, she needed to do  _something_  today and not waste the event. She'd been a little distracted since the day she'd played volleyball, and because of that she hadn't been able to come up with any decent gift ideas.

Maybe taking a chance on this mini game wasn't such a bad plan after all.

It was disconcerting to be caught in the bustle of the crowd, and Kagome tried her best to maneuver around the students. She was unable to see any of the stalls on display, and was too focused on not getting trampled to pay much attention to them.

"Hey Kagome! Wait up!"

Her head whipped around, and she caught sight of Hojo trying to make his way to her through the crowd. Kagome's eyes widened, and Naraku's voice whispered feather light in her mind; _I'll have the boy killed._

Kagome quickly squeezed through the students, uncaring when she pushed a few of them aside. She needed to get away, even saying hello to Hojo could be dangerous for him. Somewhere in the back of her mind though, she could also see his Love Meter that was now at the middle marker, and a part of her ran from  _him_ , not just the possible danger. Behind her in the crowd, she could hear him calling her name, but she ignored it and felt guilt stab at her chest.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she finally pushed through the students, and opened the doors to the reception of the school. It was the only place in the sea of madness that wasn't crammed full of people.

Inuyasha was standing not too far from her, his ears fixed flat to his head and dark brows pulled down into a stern frown. He was in a foul mood as he watched the students outside.

"It's crazy out there!" Kagome breathed, happy to see him even if he looked ready to pummel someone. She quickly checked over her shoulder for any sign of Hojo, but he didn't seem to have followed her. Inuyasha snorted.

"Keh! You're telling me. I hate this shit, what the hell is Onigumo thinking? I can't believe our lessons have been cancelled for this crap."

"Wait, our lessons have been cancelled? Then why doesn't everyone just leave?" Kagome couldn't believe it. No sane headmaster would cancel a school day just for Valentines. She wondered what he was up to, but perhaps she was just over thinking it and he didn't have any nefarious intentions for the day. Knowing Naraku though, that wasn't likely.

"Beats me. They're either too stupid to go home or insane. No normal person would actually buy that stuff out there. As for me, I don't get the luxury of leaving early. I still have to clean this hellhole." Inuyasha grumbled, his nose twitching as he eyed the confetti on the floor hatefully.

Kagome felt worry and guilt weigh on her shoulders. The crowds had always set Inuyasha on edge, and that she'd left him alone in his 'detention' probably wasn't helping. Sure enough, he turned to her, ready to take his bad mood out on someone.

"Speaking of, how come you got out of that punishment? I still have another week of this." The sneer on his face made her think of 'sitting' him, but her attention was caught by a dark mark underneath his right eye that she hadn't noticed before. She realized it was a bruise, and wondered who had given it to him. She was about to ask, but a polite voice cut in.

"Ah Inuyasha my friend, surely you don't mind the extra work? A pretty young lady such as this one shouldn't have to attend to the school's cleaning." Miroku smiled, his tone light.

This only seemed to vex the hanyou even more. "Like hell she shouldn't! If I gotta do it then there's no reason she can't-"

"Well I'm afraid Sango needs her for another task. So you needn't worry, she won't be idle while you work." Miroku's pleasant demeanor didn't waver, even as Inuyasha began to curse foully. He then steered Kagome towards the door, throwing a cheery farewell to the angry half demon as they left.

Kagome's stomach buckled at the thought of being in the middle of the crowd again, but Mirkou's single hand on her shoulder navigated her through it. They soon arrived at a stall, and Kagome hesitantly joined Sango behind it.

"There you are Kagome! Glad you could make it."

"Urr, sure. But why do you need me here?" She tried to talk over the noise of the crowd as Sango led her away from the stall and bustle of students. When they were a little further away, Kagome noticed a camera set up on a tripod, and a screen with two chairs in front of it.

Sango turned to her with hopeful eyes. "We need a mascot for our photo shoot, and I knew you'd be perfect for it."

"A mascot!" Kagome cringed at the idea, and pictured one of those large dinosaur mascots she saw at the mall sometimes. The costumes were always ridiculously balky, and seemed to creep people out more than they encouraged a sale.

"Please! It's to raise money for the science department's new roof, I'd owe you one." Sango looked at her pleadingly, and Kagome smiled reluctantly, before noticing the flashing red icon appear out of thin air.

She pretended to do some thinking as she passed a hand over it and read the message. It glowed a merry pink and stated; 'This is one of the mini games! Please choose 'yes' to begin, or 'no' to find another mini game!'

Kagome wasn't sure what this entailed but since it was an event in  _this_  game it would most likely be embarrassing. Still, if it was for Sango it didn't feel too much like a chore.

She smiled and picked 'yes', facing Sango. "Alright. What do I have to do?"

Her friend turned away and opened one of the cardboard boxes that were laying around. As soon as she lifted the outfit up for Kagome to see however, the miko felt her blood freeze in mortification.

OOO

The fluffy wings on her back were heavy and the straps bit into her shoulders. The white dress was short and the leather sandals were tight. Only the familiar weight of the bow and quiver of arrows helped comfort her.

Kagome Higurashi had transformed into Cupid for the day.

Of course, the strangeness of the situation could have been helped along by a more sensible outfit, but apparently the game hadn't taken this into consideration. The dress was over the top cutesy, and reminded her of something out of Sailor Moon, what with its size and the gold and pink trimming around the edges. The arrow's themselves weren't real, as the tips were shaped like red love hearts and soft to the touch.

She stood in the relatively cool air, grateful that at least her outfit wasn't as bad as wearing bloomers.

Sango's stall (Miroku had been roped into helping out like she had) had now turned into a photo shoot, where couples and friends all lined up for a picture. They posed together in front of the screen, sometimes stealing kisses from their Valentine.

Kagome was giving out flyers as she walked away from the stall and continued on around the edges of the crowd. Her costume was drawing enough attention that people readily took the flyers from her, before heading over to the shoot.

After about 10 minutes of this, an icon flashed next to her.

Kagome pulled her skirt down for the umpteenth time before checking what it said.  _I was wondering how this was a mini game, maybe it hasn't even started yet._

Her theory proved correct as the message happily informed her; 'The mini game will now begin! Your goal is to find lonely singles and pair them up by shooting your cupids arrows at them. As soon as you hit one single, the next you hit will be paired up with them, so aim carefully! If they aren't compatible, you'll have wasted an arrow and lost a point! If you make 15 couples pair up successfully in two hours, you win! Good luck!"

Kagome stared at the words in confusion, blinking owlishly. The sound of dial-up's internet connection served as the white noise in her brain as she tried to remember that this was serious. She had been trapped in a game, and it was forcing her into difficult situations against her will. This was not ridiculous, or hilarious and had not been invented by a five year old. Probably.

"Sure. Just why the heck not?" Her voice was high and squeaky.

She straightened the wreath of laurel leaves on her head and, biting her lip to hold in the hysterical laughter that had bubbled up, Kagome readied her bow.

A number flashed in the air beside her that said '5'. Kagome figured that was how many points she had and if she missed or misjudged the couple then the number would go down. A clock face also appeared next to her, telling her that she had a full two hours to play with.

 _Well, first things first. The easy couples._  She thought, heading over to the photo shoot. She placed the flyers in her satchel and found Sango fairly easily. The former demon slayer had bent down and was adjusting the camera for the next photo. The bow in Kagome's hands felt a little strange, but she ignored it and checked the distance between them as she aimed.

She let the arrow fly, the heart shaped tip glowing yellow as it bumped into Sango's side, leaving a pink mark on her uniform.

The reaction was immediate, as her eyes glazed and a dreamy look smoothed over her tired expression. She then straightened and stood, motionless. After a moment Sango shook her head and carried on with her task, though the mark still remained.

"Oh, right." Kagome realized she'd been standing there when she should have been targeting Miroku. She turned, searching for him, and found that he had disappeared.

She frowned and walked forward, past the line of couples waiting patiently for the their photo to be taken. Unfortunately she couldn't find any trace of him. Steeling her resolve, she made her way through the students, scanning the crowd as she went for any sign of the lecherous monk.

When she finally pushed through to the other side, she sighed wearily, adjusting the plastic straps of her wings. _I couldn't find him in there either, I wonder where he ran off to. I can't match up another couple until I get him or I'll loose a point. Sango needs a guy who's compatible with her, and I wouldn't match her up with anyone but Miroku._

As she walked on, heading away from the throng of students and towards the sports pavilion, she came upon a curious sight.

Sesshoumaru was stood across from a girl, who blushed prettily and held out a small box towards him. Sesshoumaru seemed perplexed, but he took the box none the less, frowning slightly. The girl then gave a quick bow and ran off, a delighted smile dancing across her lips.

Kagome watched them with rapt attention, her eyes falling to the box in the demon lord's hands as he slowly unwrapped it. A smile of her own tugged at her mouth when he pulled the wrapping paper away without ripping it once, folding it neatly in one hand.

 _He really is hopeless._  She thought, grinning as he looked at the box of chocolates with distaste.

She couldn't stifle the giggle that escaped her when he lifted the gift up for inspection and gave a delicate sniff. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes snapped to her face at the sound, and her laughter abruptly stopped, remembering the look he'd pinned her with last time.

A strange, heavy moment seemed to pass between them that had Kagomes heart do an odd fluttery thing. Her chest felt tight as her face heated with the force of her blush. She didn't know why she felt embarrassed, but tried to assure herself that it was only because of what had happened.

Sesshoumaru's gaze swept over her, before he turned his attention back to the box in his hands. She felt like she could breathe again without his intent stare on her, and she ventured closer cautiously.

Kagome wasn't sure what she'd wanted to happen, but she'd expected... _something_  after the strange incident that had happened during volleyball class. Perhaps the look he'd given her hadn't meant anything after all. Still, she resolved to go to the library soon to see if this fake world had anything on demon's body language. The Love Meter was a healthier shade of orange now as it looked a little closer to the middle marker, and Kagome intended to keep it that way. It would take a few more levels until it managed to touch the middle, but at least it was better than before.

 _And all I had to do was tie my hair back..._ Kagome shook her head, clearing her throat as she smiled hesitantly at him.

"She gave you chocolates huh?"

Sesshoumaru spared her a glance. "Hn, though this one wonders why." He seemed content to 'forget' the stare-off from last time, and Kagome frowned, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. If he could pretend it had never happened, she could too.

"Well it _is_  Valentines Day, that's kind of what girls do today. If you want to be a gentleman you can return the favor by giving a gift to her on White Day." She smiled, finding the whole gift giving thing a little romantic. She hadn't had a Valentine herself, but the concept had always been a cute one to her, so long as it wasn't overblown like today was.

Sesshoumaru's lip lifted in disgust as his nostrils flared, obviously he wasn't a fan of chocolate. "She may have these back, I have no need of them."

Kagome rose a brow as she looked at the chocolates, before reeling back in surprise. "These are handmade! Wow she must really like you S-Mr. Taisho. You can't just give them back, you have to try at least one. Imagine how long she must have taken making them for you."

"Such efforts are wasted when they are for pointless frivolities. What was her intention when she gave me these...  _chocolates_?" He said, testing the word that was so unfamiliar to him.

"Wait, you don't know what Valentines Day is?" Kagome frowned, looking up at him. Surely if he'd been given fake memories then the game would have shown him what the day was about. She tilted her head speculatively. Was Sesshoumaru more awake than she'd realized? If he had his old memories back though why wouldn't he have confronted her about it?

He raised his eyes to meet hers, and Kagome cursed herself for freezing in place. This wasn't going to happen every time he looked at her now was it?

Sesshoumaru waved a clawed hand dismissively. Somehow he made even this action look elegant, Kagome mused. "I do not concern myself with human festivities, particularly ones as unnecessary as this 'Valentines Day'."

Kagome frowned. "It's plenty necessary. That girl gave you those chocolates as a sign of her feelings. She's probably too shy to confess them to you herself, so she wanted to show you. That's why Valentines is important. By doing this, couples sometimes start a relationship together."

Sesshoumaru took a step back, his expression unreadable. "She wishes to...engage in a courtship with me?"

Her cheeks flamed red. "No! Not in the way you're thinking anyway. She'd probably accept a date, or something small in return from you, but she isn't asking for your hand in marriage! That's abnormal for a first Valentines."

He seemed less bewildered now that she'd clarified for him, though it was difficult to tell since his eyes had only widened slightly. She thought that she was able to read him a little better now, and was grateful for it.

She was suddenly aware that she had his attention, as his golden eyes swept over her form. "Hn. Speaking of abnormalities, what are you wearing miko?"

Kagome blinked, looking down at her garish white dress and then remembering the fluffy wings. Sesshoumaru was looking at them with thinly veiled amusement.

She smiled, knowing how ridiculous she must have looked. Oddly, she didn't feel as embarrassed as she had when she'd worn the bloomers. It was probably because she felt a little more comfortable now, or maybe it was just because the dress wasn't as revealing. Either way, she gestured to herself with an exaggerated flourish.

"Cupid's robe's of course, my job for today is to pair up lonely single people. All I have to do is hit them with an arrow and true love will run its course!" Kagome smiled playfully at his deadpan expression. She expected him not to believe her, after all it sounded like complete nonsense, but he didn't comment on it.

"In other words, you are meddling with human's love lives."

She leaned her bow against her shoulder and shrugged. "I guess you could see it that way. Anyway I really should get back to it, I was looking for Miroku. Have you seen him?"

Sesshoumaru looked towards the sports pavilion behind her, and Kagome turned, her eyes widening in shock.

Miroku was certainly there, but he wasn't alone. He was stood quite close to a girl Kagome had never seen before, and from the look of things he was flirting heavily with her.

 _I'll be putting an end to that._  Kagome thought angrily, readying her bow as she watched them whisper quietly to one another. The girl was gripping the front of his shirt, and his hand was on her waist. Kagome knew in this world he wasn't technically married, but she had no way of knowing if this was the real Miroku or not. She wasn't about to let him accidentally cheat on his wife just because his memory was impaired.

"I do not see the point in hitting them with one of your arrows. You stated the purpose of your job was to bring unattached humans together. The monk and the girl already seem to be an item."

Kagome grit her teeth as she aimed at Miroku. "That's not true, him and Sango...it's not true alright. He's meant to be with someone else."

"The sports captain?" Sesshoumaru was now standing beside her, and she could feel the weight of his stare as she gripped her bow.

"Yeah. They-they're both good friends of mine. I know that they..." Kagome faltered, torn. She felt powerless, but tried to reassure herself that she couldn't be wrong. Miroku and Sango were fated to be together, surely a game couldn't change that.  _They're meant for each other._   _He's taken dammit! Sango and Miroku are meant to get married and have a bunch of kids. That's what happened in our world, and it's going to happen in this one._

Kagome felt her heart give a lurch as she watched the girl blush at something Miroku had said. The two leaned into one another as they smiled.

Sesshoumaru's voice was a quiet rumble when he spoke next, his words sounding more gentle than she thought him capable of. "Perhaps you wish to see something that is not there."

She realized then that she'd been looking at this wrong, that her head had been stuck in another world all this time. She was always thinking of the people around her as if they were in the feudal era, as if they were still her friends. But they were different here, they had different lives, and maybe even different preferences. Maybe it wasn't so out of the question for Sango to be compatible with someone else, or for Miroku to like another woman.

"...Alright." Kagome said softly.

This did not stop her from letting the arrow fly anyway. She wanted to see it for her own eyes. The arrow sailed through the air, glowing yellow until it met Miroku's back, who barely noticed the unexpected bump. The pink mark from where the arrow had hit only stayed a few moments before it faded. On the ground, the arrow that she'd used snapped in two.

Kagome turned away and faced Sesshoumaru. She'd gotten her answer. The number of points she had went down to '4'.

At his flat look, she shrugged and smiled weakly. "My fingers slipped, opps."

The Daiyoukai didn't seem to believe her, but he said nothing. The only good thing that she could see from this, was that Mirkou had at least backed away from the girl and looked like he was finally leaving. She resolved to keep an eye on the monk during her stay in the otome game to make sure he didn't do something stupid.

Kagome walked a few steps forward and tried to put her mind somewhere else. Looking at the clock, she had an hour and forty minutes left.

"Well, looks like I ought to put my matchmaking talents to better use. Now then, I need a single person." She scanned the few students that had broken away from the crowded stalls.

"Oh, how about him?" Kagome pointed to a boy who was seated at the base of a lone tree, reading.

Sesshoumaru watched her carefully for a moment, his steady gaze unnerving her. He then flicked his gaze to the boy, before looking away dismissively.

"He is unattached, or 'single' as you say."

Kagome looked at him in shock. "Really? How can you tell?"

"His countenance, complexion and reading material." Sesshoumaru then turned, apparently bored with where the conversation was heading. Kagome tilted her head, appraising the boy and slowly noticing what it had taken Sesshoumaru less than a second to see. His shoulders were hunched forward, almost as if he were afraid. His skin was that of a teenagers, the common problem of acne dotting his face in different places. The book he was reading turned out to be a manga, and judging from the front cover it wasn't exactly something that would entice girls to sit with him.

Kagome didn't give Sesshoumaru time to leave as she latched onto his shirt sleeve, staring up at him intently. "I don't know how you did that but you're really good at this. I'd appreciate it if you stuck around."

He looked unconvinced, so she gentled her approach. "Help me find someone for him, please? I mean what are allies for?"

Sesshoumaru rose a brow, and seemed to note the pleading tone in her voice. "It is unlike you to beg, miko." He said flatly.

Kagome instantly straightened her spine, irate as she put her hands on her hips. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but noticed Sesshoumaru's eyes flash as he smirked faintly.

She dropped her hands and looked at him in exasperation. "Did you just bait me?"

"Hn." Sesshoumaru's eyes were warm as he too scanned the few scattered students. He then fixated on one spot and Kagome turned her attention to a girl by the water fountain.

"Oh, I see what you mean. That girl might work with him, she has a similar book too." Kagome nodded, but felt her doubts rise. The boy had an explicit book, while the girl's one was just a regular science fiction manga.

"It would be best if you found another boy to match with her."

The miko frowned and shook her head stubbornly. "No way, I think having something in common will give them a romantic interest in each other. All I have to do is get him to read something a little more normal and they'll have something to talk about."

"And what of attraction?"

"What about it? Attraction's not needed if you have 'the spark'. To me, romance is about having a mutual spark of something that goes beyond that." She sighed to herself wistfully, not noticing the daiyoukai's flat look.

"What a foolish notion, surely you need both for a successful courtship. But this is your business, not mine. I will merely say that the girl will not accept him." Sesshoumaru then walked away, but only so far as a nearby bench. She noticed with amusement that he'd placed a book there earlier and had now picked it up, flipping it open.

"We'll see about that, and you should still try one of those chocolates by the way." She said, knowing he could hear her.

Kagome then turned back to the potential couple, and shouldering her bow, she approached the boy first.

The boy looked up from his manga when she stopped in front of him, smiling in greeting. He squirmed in discomfort as he quickly shut his book. He then glanced up at her, blushing, before his gaze dropped and he pointedly looked at her legs.

Kagome's smile turned sharp as she tried not to get offended. "Hi, I was just wondering if- Hey!" She yelled when he wouldn't stop staring.

His eyes snapped up to her face and she inhaled, trying to calm herself. "I was just wondering if you had any other manga with you?"

The boy blinked in confusion but none the less opened his backpack, taking out a fantasy manga. "I have this one, but why do you ask?"

Kagome waved away his question, instead peering around the tree at the girl by the water fountain. "No reason at all, just do me a favor and read that one for a second okay? Keep the other one out of sight until I come back."

She then quickly walked away, headed towards the girl. If this went smoothly, then they could bond over their books and the cupid's arrows would work. She was glad the boy had another manga or this probably wouldn't have worked. She couldn't see the girl wanting to talk about an ecchi manga.

The girl was minding her own business as she sat near the fountain, peacefully reading. Kagome soon put an end to this as she walked past the quiet girl, making a great show of stopping and turning to her.

"Huh." She said, inspecting the book closely.

The girl blushed at her scrutiny, looking nervous. "Wh-what is it?"

"Well it's just, that manga you're reading looks like the one that guy has over there." Kagome gestured to the tree the boy was sat against.

"R-really?" The girl seemed pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah, but hey don't take my word for it." Kagome shrugged and walked away, hoping this would be enough to make the girl approach him. She of course was lying about the manga, but with any luck the two would start a conversation on their own.

Leaving the girl alone, Kagome quickly darted around the outdoor volleyball court in time to see the girl rise and walk towards the boy. The miko soon found herself stood next to Sesshoumaru again as she watched the pair interact.

She grinned smugly, "I told you it would work."

Sesshoumaru spared them a glance and made a noncommittal noise.

The boy blushed as the girl tucked her hair behind her ear, saying something as she gestured to her book. The boy nodded seriously and the two smiled soon after. Kagome 'awwd' happily, readying her bow.

Unfortunately the girl then held her hand out, obviously to introduce herself via handshake. The boy scrambled to get up quickly, knocking his backpack over as he did so. This sent his ecchi manga tumbling out into view for all to see.

Kagome gaped, stunned into silence.

"You'll catch flies if you leave your mouth open for any longer miko." Came Sesshoumaru's dry comment as he lazily turned a page.

A vein ticked in Kagome's forehead, prompting her voice to come out shriller than expected. "I can't believe that just happened! He had one job! One job, and he messes it up! "

She kicked a stray rock, glancing at the time nervously. At this rate she'd never win a gift for Sesshoumaru. As she raged internally, Sesshoumaru watched the pair interact.

"The boy's...preferences do not appear to matter to the girl." He sounded mystified.

Kagome looked up, her eyes widening in shock as the girls face turned red, but she smiled good-naturedly. The boy quickly grabbed the book and stood, turning away slightly in dismay and embarrassment. However the girls smile only seemed to soften, and she said something else, making the boy turn back to her in shock.

The expressions on their faces, that of pleasant surprise and gentle amusement, told Kagome that now was the right time. She aimed for the boy first, firing a second later. The arrow bumped into his side, leaving the mark. Kagome didn't waste any time as she then let another arrow fly at the girl, who was also hit on target.

The two pink marks on their uniform then seemed to glow, and the boy and girl stood motionless for a moment before smiling slowly at one another. They then blushed and walked away together, chatting amiably.

Kagome blinked, watching the scene with an expression almost mirroring Sesshoumaru's. They were both bemused.

Soon enough, a green counter appeared beside her. Though it showed only a single digit, the number '1' glittered brightly at the stunned miko.

"T-That's one down anyway. I just, wow I wasn't expecting her not to care about that pervy book. I thought it would be better for him to hide it." She felt her shoulders sag, feeling a little bad that she'd asked him to put it away.

"But I guess we were both wrong about them huh?" Kagome rambled as Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in thought. She didn't expect him to admit to anything, but she at least felt a little more humbled.  _The girl didn't seem overly attracted to him, and there was no initial spark between them, but they still got along well. Yet they only really seemed to have something more when they were both true to themselves._

She shook her thoughts away. "Oh well, just fourteen more couples to go." After only one couple she already felt exhausted.

"And you are certain this is worth the effort?" Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow.

Kagome thought for a moment. Was it worth it? Truth be told she wasn't sure, but if there was even the slightest chance it would help her raise the Love Meter she had to try. She was also glad for the distraction of doing something as fun and silly, as a mini game that she could somewhat control the outcome of. It might have sounded a bit manipulative, since she felt meddling in someones love life was something she had power over, but Kagome didn't mean it maliciously.

Since coming into this game, she'd felt like a powerless puppet, merely doing as she was told by the tug of every string. Like this, she felt more in control of herself, gripping the familiar weight of the bow, and working towards a clear cut objective.

Kagome raised her head and nodded firmly. "I think so. It matters to me."

Sesshoumaru's honey gold eyes regarded her carefully, and not for the first time she wished she knew what he was thinking. What did he make of her? She wondered.

Cleaning her throat when she felt a telltale heat rise up her neck to her cheeks, Kagome struggled with what to say next. With a small tilt of her head, her black hair slid over one shoulder. "Will you help me again?"

She wasn't sure what good it would do to ask an emotionally constipated Daiyoukai like him for match making advice but she felt comforted by having him near. Something about his refined baring and sharp tongue was refreshingly...honest. It was difficult to explain, but Kagome found that she kind of enjoyed his company, and she hadn't asked with the dating sim in mind. She'd simply asked without thinking.

He returned his gaze to the book in his hands. She realized then that he was reading a book about modern warfare. Again, she felt worry prickle her skin at the thought of someone as powerful as him having knowledge of such future events.

"As your  _ally_ , I will require something in return for doing so."

Kagome blinked, but supposed he wasn't asking too much of her. She was asking the great lord of the west for love advice so it seemed only right. She shrugged. "That's fair I guess, but um...what do you want?"

"This Sesshoumaru will request the favor when it is needed." His smooth timbre voice murmured, as his eyes slanted up to meet hers once more.

Kagome throat clenched, her mind and heart racing as a shiver of something unnamed crept down her spine. She shook the feeling away, before laughing it off. "Alright Mr. High and Mighty. Anyway come on, this Kagome requires your match making prowess."


	13. The Valentine

The unlikely pair of allies were having a run of good luck so far, at least in Kagome's opinion. They'd managed to pair nine couples, had failed on only two, and had 45 minutes of time left. Apart from a few 'hiccups' along the way it was going relatively smoothly.

They'd started by picking off the lone students that had been hanging around the sports pavilion. The first 'hiccup' (Kagome refused to call them disagreements because that would imply she'd gotten annoyed with him. And she hadn't, she'd been totally calm throughout all of this) had been over a girl with pigtails. Kagome had wanted to pair her with an outspoken but kind guy who was playing basketball with his friends, but Sesshoumaru had looked down his nose at her as if she were soft in the head. He then promptly suggested they pair her with a straight laced looking boy with glasses, who was furiously typing away on his laptop.

Kagome, feeling like a lawyer fighting for a case, had defended the boy, saying he was a good candidate. He was athletic and from the looks of it, both a tactical player on the field and a good team mate to his friends. Any girl could fall for him easily.

Sesshoumaru seemed to loath that he had to explain himself, but he pointed out that the boy with glasses had better prospects.

"In this age, it appears wealth is the way you humans measure power and worth. That boy will be more appealing to the girl as he already has set plans for the future and is working towards them." Sesshoumaru was adamant that a female would be drawn to power, and since glasses boy was working on a complicated hacking system, he surmised that he would be wealthy in the future. Power/Wealth = Security = Happy Female according to Sesshoumaru. Kagome had rolled her eyes at this.  _He makes it sound like all women are gold diggers or something._

In the end, they'd let the girl decide for herself by giving her fake love letters from each of them. It was corny yes, but Kagome had spent most of her energy defending the basketball player and didn't have any original ideas to work with.

The girl with pigtails had held the two letters tightly, reading them over and over again. She'd watched the basketball player score a goal, and then sat near the boy with glasses as he typed on his computer.

The Daiyouki and the miko both watched her, albeit impatiently. Eventually the girl, blushing and stuttering, approached the basketball player and spoke with him. Sesshoumaru had been silent, but his jaw had clenched as the briefest flash of exasperation touched his face. Kagome, laughing triumphantly, readied her bow and paired the two together successfully.

He hadn't asked her why the girl had chosen the jock, but Kagome had explained anyway. "That girl's just a high school kid Mr. Taisho, she has no idea what she'll want in the future yet. She's just living in the moment, and right now a guy who seems friendly, confident and fun is allot more appealing to her because he's more approachable."

Sesshoumaru had turned away and muttered something under his breath, probably along the lines of 'foolish', or 'ridiculous.'

While they'd been setting up other couples, Kagome had elaborated. "You shouldn't feel bad though. Not all girls feel that way, and when that girl gets older maybe she'll want a guy like that glasses kid. High school students don't really think of the bigger picture when they like someone, they just react to them through-"

"Instinct. Hn, this one should have known." His tone had been icy, so Kagome let the conversation drop.

There had been other 'hiccups' along the way, involving a jealous ex boyfriend who'd interfered with their plans. A girl, who it turned out, was interested in other girls, not guys. Then a boy with a bad case of hay fever had come to Kagome for advice, as apparently word was spreading that she was a matchmaker. He'd had a crush on a girl for awhile, but she was on a diet and so couldn't accept chocolate from him. He couldn't even give her flowers due to his allergies, so he was unsure how else to express his feelings.

Kagome had suggested he wait until White Day, but the boy was adamant he confess that day. She'd been considering other gifts he could give her when Sesshoumaru had stepped forward.

He'd been precise and curt with the boy, explaining that if he wanted to hide behind pointless 'decorations' then he was a coward. The girl would know whether to accept him or not, based on his conviction alone, said the demon.

The boy had held his nerve by not wilting on the spot at Sesshoumaru's golden stare, before he'd blinked in confusion.

"Aren't you a teacher?" He'd asked curiously, obviously puzzled as to why he was helping.

With a slight release of his aura, Sesshoumaru had sent the boy running.

At times Kagome had felt like pulling her hair out, but she couldn't deny she'd been enjoying herself.

They were now enjoying a short break on a bench not too far from the commotion of the crowd. Sesshoumaru's lip lifted at the sight, exposing a fang for a split second. Kagome caught his disgruntled look and felt her brows pull together in worry.

"Hey, we don't have to go in there. I can't say I'm much of a fan of crowds myself."

Sesshoumaru's gaze shifted to her, surprised that she'd even picked up on his mood. Kagome smiled softly and pulled out a bottle of water from her satchel, offering it to him.

"Here. I know its not spring water from the mountains or anything fancy, but it's all I have." He didn't look tired, but Kagome wanted to make sure he was alright. Far be it from the proud Sesshoumaru to admit he was weary or needed help.

The Daiyoukai's face remained stony, before his eyes flashed and he looked away sharply. Kagome blinked in confusion, her hand gripping the water bottle lowered slightly.

She was about to ask what was wrong, when she noticed that he'd gone still, similar to when she'd tied her hair back that day. His eye's were fixed on the ground so intensely it made her shudder, remembering the phantom sensation of those eyes when they'd locked on her. It was then that she realized she must have done something else that demons could interpret as an act of courtship, but it was lost on her what she'd done.

This only lasted a few moments though, as when Sesshoumaru turned back to her he had complete control again. His long elegant fingers suddenly splayed over hers, and she shook herself, freeing the bottle from her frozen grip.

He inclined his head silently in thanks, before lifting the bottle to his lips. Kagome hadn't expected that he'd accept her help without a little more coaxing, and could only blink at him, bemused.

When she shifted, an object fell out of her satchel and into her hands. It was the Valentines chocolate the girl had given Sesshoumaru.  _I kept a hold of it, since he seemed happy to leave it behind. Ungrateful demon._

She held the box up and smiled, pushing down the butterflies that took flight in her stomach when he looked at her. "You know, while you're at it you could try one of these."

He gave her an amused look. "You certainly seem fixated on the idea."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Can't blame me for trying. It might make you appreciate how much effort that girl must have put in making these for you. But anyway, maybe its for the best, they might be poisonous to you."

"Poisonous? Is that why you wish me to eat them so badly?" Sesshoumaru now looked at the box with interest. Kagome frowned. _Of course, he ignores the gift as if it were a diseased rodent when its an innocent present from a girl. But the possibility of someone trying to kill him catches his eye._

"Hey, I thought you were working or something! And w-what the heck are you wearing?" Inuyasha sidled up beside them, blushing at her outfit.

He swung the broom in his hand up into the air until it rested against his shoulder, nearly hitting a girl walking behind him. Kagome looked at the pile of confetti he was sweeping up guiltily, but then gestured to her dress.

"Inuyasha this _is_  my work. I'm matchmaking couples."

He took another look at her, then burst into laughter. "Seriously? Man it sucks to be you!"

Kagome frowned, wishing she could 'sit' him. It might have sounded silly but she was genuinely enjoying the mini game.

"And what are  _you_  doing here?" The hanyou glared in Sesshoumaru's direction, who looked at him flatly.

Kagome bit her lip, unsure of what to do. She didn't want to say he was helping her, but it was more for his sake. She wasn't sure what he was getting out of it, as he was more a wry observer than anything else. Yet still, he'd helped her allot, and she didn't want to embarrass him.

"Assisting." Sesshoumaru said tonelessly, making Kagome look at him in surprise.

There was a beat of silence, as Inuyasha looked at Kagome, then Sesshoumaru, then back to her again. His shoulders began to shake, at first she thought in rage, but then a quiet snicker escaped him. The sound grew louder, until he began to laugh outright, the sound building up and carrying across the courtyard. Kagome stared at him, noticing actual tears of mirth gather in his eyes. He practically howled in laughter.

"It's not that funny Inuyasha, I don't see what the big deal is."

But this only seemed to make him laugh harder, as he held his hand up, waving it as he fought to breathe. "Y- you- don't get it!"

He then collapsed into another fit of giggles, his mouth stretched so large it exposed both of his fangs. Kagome was quickly getting annoyed. She felt like she was the subject of a joke, but had no idea what it was. It seemed like he was laughing at _them_ , not just his brother. Sesshoumaru didn't appear angry at Inuyasha's reaction, but his eye was starting to twitch.

His golden eyes cut down to her confused face, before he slanted a side long glance at his brother. "Silence yourself Inuyasha. The miko was intending to give you a gift."

Kagome's eyes widened as the box of chocolates in her hands suddenly felt heavy. "N-no I wasn't!" She hissed.  _What the heck is he doing?_

Inuyasha's laughter began to die down, though his shoulders were still shaking as he wiped a tear from his eye. "Huh? What?"

The elder brother rose fluidly from his seat, and gestured to the box. "It is a gift from another, they asked that we give it to you. I trust you've heard about what happens on this day."

"Feh, of course I have!" Inuyasha grouched, his old self again.

"Then you are well informed." Sesshoumaru intoned dryly.

Inuyasha snorted and took the box from Kagome's hands. She watched his ears flick inquisitively, knowing she should probably speak up. Yet she knew why she didn't, and that was because she wanted a little bit of revenge too. She reasoned that so long as things didn't go too far and Inuyasha didn't eat the whole box then he'd probably be fi-

Inuyasha grabbed a whole handful and practically inhaled them into his mouth.

Kagome quickly stood from the bench, snatching the gift from him. "H-Hey! Don't eat them all at once, it's bad for you."

But he didn't appear to be listening, his hands were frozen in mid air from where he'd been holding the box. His golden eyes were wide, and unblinking. His expression slowly changed from stunned, disgusted, and finally sickly pale.

It was when he turned  _green_  that Kagome decided that  _yes_ , chocolate probably was poisonous to dog demons.

Inuyasha quickly made for one of the rubbish bins.

"Seems you were correct miko. Yet this one wonders why the girl made an attempt on my life. It is irreverent though, as her efforts were futile at best."

Kagome's hands clenched into fists as she threw him an angry look over her shoulder. "Did you just use him as a guinea pig to test whether they were poisonous or not?"

"I heard no objections from you a moment ago." Sesshoumaru's eyes glittered darkly.

She opened and closed her mouth, before sighing and shaking her head. "We're horrible." She chose to ignore his answering smirk.

It took a good five minutes until Inuyasha returned, looking almost as white as his hair. "I think whoever made those chocolates hated me-Ow! What the heck?"

Sesshoumaru had thrown the bottle Kagome had given him to Inuyasha, though it had taken a detour and hit his brother's forehead. Whether he'd meant that to happen or not, Kagome couldn't tell.

With a graceful pivot on his heel, Sesshoumaru then turned and began walking away. Kagome smiled and gestured to the water. "Drink it, it'll definitely make you feel better."

Inuyasha rubbed his forehead, "duly noted."

"Think you'll be alright now?"

"Yeah, yeah, stop pestering me woman. I'll pay him back for this another time, get going." When he gave a smile, she knew he'd be fine.

When she was about to leave however, a thought occurred to her that she'd been meaning to ask; "Hey, before I go, who gave that bruise to you?" Kagome eyed the dark mark that now stood out sharply against his pale skin.

"Keh, Bankotsu. It wasn't a big deal or anything, actually the fight was more for fun. I just don't get why it's taking so damn long to heal." He scratched his cheek, frowning.

Kagome nodded, something tightening in her chest. She then turned to follow Sesshoumaru, "alright. I'll come round again soon so that we can finish the project."

"Yeah, whatever." Inuyasha smiled, exposing a fang. The sight of this would have calmed her nerves, if it wasn't for the fact that she was certain that fight had happened yesterday. It'd been a whole day, yet his demonic blood hadn't been able to heal a simple bruise.

OOO

The demon lord strode quickly through the crowd, Kagome barely managing to keep up with him. She gripped her bow worriedly, thinking about Sesshoumaru's burn and Inuyasha's bruise. Shaking her head, she tried to focus on what was in front of her.

Kagome knew Sesshoumaru must hate being in the middle of a cluster of humans. Whenever she'd gone back in time to Edo he'd never set one foot in the village, and had always lingered on its outskirts when waiting for Rin. Shippo had said it was because he loathed the smell.

A sharp bite of cold air hit her skin, and she shivered, feeling him release some youki. It immediately made some of the surrounding students pull away, giving the pair a little breathing space. As they continued on, the crowd parted, making a path for them. Sesshoumaru began to slow, and Kagome gratefully quickened her pace so that she was walking beside him.

As she glanced up at his face however, concern swamped her. His eyes were fixed towards the school towering over them, his attention focused on one upper window in particular. What made her worry though was that his face was blank and he'd gone tense, his eyes starting to tinge red.

"What is it?" She asked.

When he didn't answer and only carried on, she moved to block him, putting a hand up in front of her.

"Hey, come on, tell me. Is it something in the school?"

Her hand met his chest when he stepped forward again, the contact seeming to break him out of the haze. He blinked, looking down at her worried blue eyes.

"It appears my original theory of youki being suppressed here was wrong. It is being drained."

Kagome tilted her head, his words from when she'd bandaged his arm coming back to her. Inuyasha's bruise flashed in her mind. "Drained...can you pinpoint who or what's doing it?"

Sesshoumaru's expression was shut off, only his eyes seemed to burn fiercely in hatred. She knew any handicap to him was despised, so someone stealing his energy was probably a great insult to him.

He gave no reply, so Kagome took that as her answer. She thought that whoever it was taking his youki was either the creator, or the game itself, so if Sesshoumaru could find them that would be one mystery solved.

Still, without a lead to follow they were sitting ducks, and Sesshoumaru was losing energy. "Pull your youki back." She practically ordered.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed at her tone, before he directed his gaze down to the hand that was still pressed against him. Kagome snapped it back as though burned, her cheeks warming.

"This Sesshoumaru has no desire to be among a hoard of humans." He said flatly, a hard edge to his mouth.  _He must be angry with himself, because he can't find who's responsible for draining him. He's used to relying his senses, I guess it must be frustrating to be fighting an enemy he can't see, sense or smell._

"And you won't be, I have a plan silly." She smiled, hoping to lighten the mood.

A few moments later the cold thrum of heavy energy that had suffocated the air was gone. Before the students crowded around them once more though, Kagome grabbed the flyers from her bag.

"Come and visit the photo shoot we're holding! It's near the drama club and being run by the talented Sango! Get your flyers here and take your Valentine to make it extra special! You don't want to miss it!" She yelled, handing out the papers to each and every student who swarmed around them.

As servants of the game they had no choice but to follow her instructions, as all of them took a flyer and immediately began heading in the direction of the shoot. Kagome cleared a path for her and Sesshoumaru, this time she led the way.

"Seems you are more resourceful than first thought, miko."

Kagome hid a smile, and though he couldn't see it, her scent brightened.

She chose not to comment on the draining of his youki, and instead tried to distract him by getting back to the task at hand.

"Oh hey, looks like that guys single." Kagome pointed to a boy with brown hair who was trying to hit a stack of three metal cans with a ball. It was one of the stalls that belonged more at a carnival than a Valentines festival, but the prizes for winning were so cute no one seemed to mind. Large plush animals awaited anyone who managed to knock all three cans down at once. She explained this to Sesshoumaru, who silently appraised the game, before noticing a lone girl.

She was watching the boy from not too far away, a light smile touching her face.

"That girl already harbors feelings for the boy. He only needs to win and give her the prize to be granted her favor."

Kagome turned to him, her eyes wide. "Wow, nice job. You're getting good. Pretty soon you'll be sweeping all the ladies off their feet."

"You say this, yet it was you who came to this Sesshoumaru for assistance."

Kagome waved her hand flippantly, before bending down to pick up a rock from the ground. "Well if we want that guy to win he's the one that needs assistance. Do you think you can hit those cans from here?"

Sesshoumaru's claw tipped fingers brushed against her open palm as he took the rock. "You insult me by even asking."

The miko rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she watched him. The boy aimed, bringing his arm back and throwing. Kagome kept her eyes on the Daiyoukai, wanting to see him do something so undignified. However in one quick blur of movement, the rock had left his hand, hitting the cans over just as the boy had thrown, making it seem like he'd won by himself.

The boy was stunned, as was Kagome, though this was more because she'd expected the cans to have been glued down to the table. The vendor looked equally as surprised, before quickly righting the cans back up. Kagome shook herself and readied her bow.

The girl approached the boy just as he was handed a pink teddy bear as his prize. The boy's eyes widened when he saw her. "H-Hitomi! Were you watching this whole time?"

Hitomi smiled, holding her hands behind her back. "Of course I was! You were amazing Kai!" She gushed, before looking at the bear in his hands.

"And you won such an adorable prize! I used to own a teddy bear just like that when I was a kid." Hitomi sighed wistfully.

Kagome aimed, but found herself waiting for the boy to wise up and actually hand over the toy. "What the- don't tell me he's going to keep it for himself!"

Sesshoumaru snorted, granting Kagome's wish that he do something undignified. Kai and Hitomi continued on past them, the boy utterly clueless as he rambled on about how good his aim was getting.

Unsure whether to fire or not, Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, wondering what to do. The demon lord turned away from the happy couple dismissively. "I believe the girl is taken enough with the boy that it does not matter."

She nodded, and readying her bow once more, she fired at the girl. Biting her lip with worry, she made a happy noise when the pink mark remained. The boy's mark also stayed when she'd fired at him too, so that was another couple down.

While the allies continued on into the crowd, Kagome rubbed her head, watching them from afar. "I just don't get it. He doesn't even seem to notice how in love with him she is. Boy's can be so clueless sometimes."

Sesshoumaru rose a brow, and Kagome smiled up at him. "Yes that's including all men, even demons. Now you're going to say that all women are clueless too huh?"

He stopped and raised his head, looking up at the sky that had suddenly turned dark grey. "Only certain ones." He murmured offhandedly, his tone soft.

"What do you mean?" Kagome blinked, a light drip landing on her head.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly, before he looked down at her, his aloof mask slipping just enough for her to glimpse something she couldn't discern. He took a step back, and an unnamed emotion clutched at her heart, burning. It was maddening trying to work out the different emotions between them, and though she'd gotten to know him better today, Kagome felt no closer to understanding him.

Something raw had been in his eyes for only a second before he shut it off. A slight sneer of contempt marked his face, and he looked away. Somehow though, his annoyance didn't feel like it was directed towards her, but himself.

Sesshoumaru raised his head, watching the couple they'd just paired together, his grave expression looking out of place when he was surrounded by so many pink streamers and heart shaped balloons. "They will not last."

Kagome had taken a step forward to try and bridge the distance he'd created, but his words halted her. "W-what?"

His voice was hard, eyes cold, reminding her every bit of the demon she'd faced in the feudal era. "Her feelings are strong but flighty, and the boy will remain clueless until he loses her. My sense is that she will get caught up in another whim, and be bought by other useless trinkets."

"I know you're talking about her but...you're making it sound like that's a natural human thing to do. We're not all shallow like that."

"No. Yet they-" he motioned towards the students now running around frantically to try and get some shelter from the oncoming weather. "Prove this Sesshoumaru's point. They each demanded decorations, frivolities, petty, pretty things from you in order to believe that another cared for them."

Kagome felt her hands clench into fists as a wave of emotion rose up inside her. "But that's not as superficial as your making it seem! They just wanted some proof that they were special to someone. That they were liked or even loved."

Yet it seemed nothing she could say would make his voice lose that jaded edge. "Valentines itself is the human folly of trying to give deeper meaning to their instincts in order to feel special. In reality, it is proof of their frivolity. 'Love' is merely mating but with a forced spiritual importance."

A scatter of rain drops began to fall, slowly building until a full shower rained down upon the school festival, ruining the streamers and flattening the paper decorations. The various cakes, sweets and chocolates getting spoiled as the students raced to save them. Couples ducked under jackets raised above their heads or brightly coloured umbrellas. Each of them running out of the storm to try and find shelter.

In the midst of this commotion, two figures stood still, facing one another. Kagome felt the rain soak through her clothes and hair, but she didn't move. "So you're saying they hide behind stuff like Valentines, and pretty words to cover up the ugly truth. Yeah so what? That doesn't mean those special feelings don't exist. Valentines might be a commercial and somewhat fake but it's not all like that. Are you implying that love isn't a real thing now? I don't get where this came from. What's with you?"

She couldn't understand how everything had changed so quickly. He'd been arrogant and sarcastic yes, but he'd also been helpful and...nice to be around. She checked his Love Meter, but it hadn't moved at all.

He raised his head just slightly, making Kagome feel like he was judging her for her ideals. As if she were being childish. It made her fists tremble at her sides. "The love that humans speak of is not real. As this one said, it is merely a lie to elevate themselves. Watching you today, and that couple just now, only makes it more clear. It is a waste of time."

 _He really hasn't changed has he? He's still the same pompous youkai that thinks all humans are lower than him._  "You ever think that maybe your words don't matter? People fight to feel important, needed, wanted every day, and just the belief in love, or a trinket to show their feelings might be small and shallow to you, but they mean allot to them. I wonder if your ego could be cut down to size if you had a human for a mate."

Kagome took an arrow from her quiver and notched it in the bow, aiming it straight at him. "I bet it would actually. Maybe then you'd understand."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, the slit pupils watching her intently. She stared back, and watched as stray droplets clung to his hair, making some of it drip to his brow and lashes. He closed them, and turned, deliberately showing his back. "I believe you are capable of finding the last couples on your own." He then walked away.

"Hey! Get back here you arrogant jer-uf!" An elbow from a student hurriedly passing by knocked into her side, making her stagger and lose her grip on the bow. The arrow flew free, and hit Sesshoumaru square in the back.

He stopped dead.

The pink mark stood out so grimly against his soaked white shirt it might as well have been blood as it began to bleed into his clothes. Kagome took a step back, before raising her head and trying to act confident.

But the look Sesshoumaru pinned her with told Kagome that no amount of false bravado would cover up her fear.

She tried to bring back her will power and sharp tongue, but her voice was quieter when she spoke next. "If love isn't real, then what about demons? Are you telling me they don't believe in love? That they follow cold judgement and logic in their mating's, and see their relationship as nothing more than an instinct to be together? Because that's crap and you know it. Besides, what about humans and demons?"

His eyes flashed as lighting darted from the sky, bathing him in eerie white for a moment. His mouth thinned in warning as he stalked towards her slowly.

Kagome knew she shouldn't say it, but it was there in the back of her throat already, and if she didn't let it out then she felt she'd burst. "What about your father-"

She thought it was the loud rumble of thunder that drowned out her hearing, but Sesshoumaru's hand at her throat and glowing red eyes made her realize it was his furious growl. The sound buried itself into her skin, making her teeth chatter and bones rattle.

Kagome began to shiver, but she blinked away the rain droplets that clung to her lashes and focused on him. The Daiyoukai loomed over her, his grip not as tight as she'd thought it'd be. It felt like he was holding her in place, rather than chocking her, though his fingers were wrapped around her neck, claws resting against sensitive skin.

"If love is an illusion that only humans cling to, then why do demons fall for them?" The question that she implied hung in the air between them.  _Why did your father fall for Inuyasha's mother?_

Sesshoumaru didn't answer, she wasn't sure he even could. He'd never been able to understand his father's affair. She so wished that they could have had this conversation with all his memories back. Then she could ask why he felt like a father towards Rin if he didn't love as humans did?

His blood red eyes glowed as he forced her backwards, and Kagome found herself trapped under the shelter of a building. Her hands shook as they rested on his wrist, and she realized she was trembling. Without the rain pouring on them though, a quiet lull fell between them, only broken by her breathing.

"They wanted someone to protect." His voice was a quiet rumble, making her eyes widen.

"Someone vulnerable, soft, palpable. Demons are hard edged creatures of battle and sin. They wanted something...else. Pursuing that dream sometimes costs them their lives." He said it with grim finality, as if he believed that all human and demon relations were doomed right from the start.

"And you think love is responsible for those tragedies? You know that's not true. Their deaths were mostly caused by other peoples intolerance of their love." She stared at him, noting that his markings had gone jagged.

"Loving people is not a weakness. And even you aren't immune to it, no matter how much you say it doesn't exist."

He was still and quiet as she gazed at him. "You're not untouchable Sesshoumaru."

His hand tightened slightly before he let go completely. Yet the demon replaced his hand with one of the Cupid's arrows at her throat. Her breath caught, and he looked almost pleased by her reaction.

"Neither are you," he said, his voice deathly quiet.

The arrow hovered just above her skin, threatening to pair them together. She started at the sensation of her heart hammering in her chest, wondering why she was so afraid.

Kagome fought back her fear by raising her reiki around herself, just as Sesshoumaru's youki flared to life. As her skin heated, she became hyper aware of the cold air. Her dress had slipped down, now exposing her collarbone and shoulder, yet she pretended not to notice.

A snarl tore from his throat as she strengthened the reiki on her skin so that it snapped in the breath of space between them. His youki only grew heavier, making her feel like she was being held underwater. His red eyes strayed down to her exposed shoulder, and his lips parted silently. Kagome's heart continued to race as he leaned in, just slightly, enough to make her shiver as she stared at him.

They stayed like that for an undetermined length of time, locked in a silent battle of wills. What they were fighting for, neither one could really remember, they could only feel the pulse of their energy's clashing and weaving together.

Eventually, Kagome was brought out from the haze of their aura's by the trembling of her shoulders. She was freezing, her fingers bone cold. A shaky breath escaped her, becoming visible in the air. Sesshoumaru blinked, as if finally awaking from a dream. He closed his crimson eyes, and when they opened again, familiar golden ones stared back at her.

He lowered the arrow that was held between them, and stepped away. Kagome's reiki died down and Sesshoumaru's youki fell away, making it easier to breathe. The rain began to stop, and a light peeked through the clouds, lighting the silver in his wet hair.

A hissing noise caught her attention as she stepped out of the shadow of the building, noticing the arrow glow green. It then melted in his hands, disintegrating before her very eyes. The number of errors she could make went down to '2'.

"It would be best if you returned home now, miss Higurashi." He said quietly, noting her shaking form.

Kagome nodded numbly, watching him a moment longer before she adjusted her dress. Sesshoumaru's eyes followed the movement, before he turned away.

They parted silently, Kagome walking one way, he the other.

As she walked, Kagome shook herself, trying to calm her racing heart as she touched her neck gently. She noticed the time gave her just 15 minutes if she wanted to complete the mini game. After their fight though, Kagome felt a little strange about giving him a Valentines gift.

Holding her arms, she rubbed them to try and get warm as she went over her options. She could just leave, but that would waste all the hard work they'd put into pairing those couples. Yet if she did win, how would he act with her when she gave him the gift? She'd expected some resistance from him at the prospect of 'them' being a thing, but she hadn't thought he'd react so strongly.

Her brow creased with worry when she imagined what his possible reaction would be when the Love Meter passed higher than the middle marker.

Gripping her bow, she lifted her head and made a decision.

OOO

Panting heavily, Kagome pushed her hair back from her eyes, waving a hand over the icon. The text read as; 'Congratulations! You won the mini game! Please write down the name of your chosen love interest to receive your prize!'

She'd just barely made it by the skin of her teeth, but Kagome had managed to pair the last couples on her own. Luckily a few of them had stayed in the school until the storm cleared. A dotted line indicated where she should write, and Kagome, without a pen, treated it like a touch screen. She sloppily wrote 'Sesshoumaru.'

Immediately, a chest appeared out of thin air, hovering in front of her. Kagome was too tired to marvel at it as she turned the lock and opened it.

Inside, there were three items. A book about space travel caught her eye, as she remembered reading it when she was younger. It had been a personal favorite of hers, and she'd excitedly brought it to the Feudal Era to show Inuyasha. Yet neither he or Myoga had believed her, and when Shippo, Miroku and Sango had joined them, even they had been dubious.  _I don't get whats so hard to believe about man landing on the moon._

There was a brand of tea, that Kagome realized must have been his preferred blend. She peered at it curiously. It was Jasmine.  _Huh, okay then._

The last item had her puzzled, and she looked at the marble, wondering why it seemed so familiar to her. But she was too tired to really focus on it, and the rain had drenched her so thoroughly all she really wanted was to go home.

She could only have one of the gifts, so Kagome reached for the book and chose it as her Valentines present.

A few minutes later had her finally on her way home. After getting the book, she'd gone to the kendo club and placed it in his office. He'd know who it was from by her scent. A part of her yearned to take the book for herself, as she had such fond memories of it, she didn't want him to criticize it if he found it beneath his notice.

The rain made a reappearance and began to pick up again. Kagome squeaked, ducking and running as quick as she could.

As she rounded a corner, a man came into view who was hidden under an umbrella. Kagome was about to continue on her way, but as she drew closer, the umbrella lifted, revealing two blood red eyes.

Kagome stopped, her eyes widening as she skidded to a halt, quickly back tracking.

Naraku smiled pleasantly. "Ah, miss Higurashi. A word, if you please?"


	14. The Villain

The Library was just as she remembered it, with high ceilings and rows upon rows of endless books waiting to be read. It was empty save for the receptionist, who didn't even acknowledge them when they'd entered. Naraku had put his umbrella in one of the holders next to the door, not a hair out of place, and infinitely dryer than she was.

Kagome had warily followed him further in, never taking her eyes off him for a second. When he'd wanted to keep going, perhaps to the back shelves, Kagome had stopped. "That's far enough I think. You said you wanted to talk, so talk."

She'd been grateful to a degree that he'd suggested going indoors to escape the rain, but Kagome was aware of how vulnerable she felt. Her clothes were soaked, and she was tired both mentally and psychically. She was at a severe disadvantage if she wanted to weasel information out of him. Naraku had just smiled, loosening his tie as he set his brief case down next to a table and leaned against it. They were surrounded by shelves but Kagome lingered in the walkway, her eyes flicking every so often to the receptionist.  _There's someone else here, so I should be fine, but I'm not taking any chances._

Now silence stretched out in the gloomy building. Rain thrashed against the windows, turning them murky grey.

Unable to take it any longer, Kagome growled. "Would you just cut to the chase already?"

Naraku seemed delighted that she was uncomfortable. He watched as she rubbed her arms to try and fight off the cold with a smile tugging at his mouth. "My apologies miss Higurashi. You must be freezing, and after such a long and draining day I'm sure you're exhausted. Won't you sit down?" He gestured to one of the chairs at the table, but Kagome stayed where she was, glaring at him.

His kindly smile morphed into the dark grin she was familiar with seeing in her nightmares. He chuckled silkily, waving a hand in the air dismissively.

"Very well, right to the point then. I noticed you took my advice about the boy."

Kagome crossed her arms. "Blackmailing me through death threats is hardly advice."

Naraku's red eyes were setting the miko on edge. Kagome shifted, her fingers digging into her arm as she fought the shiver of revulsion that wanted to rattle down her spine.

"How strange, from where I was standing it looked as if you willingly ran from him, and straight into the arms of Mr. Taisho no less. I'm sure you can imagine my surprise. A little girl like you hankering after a man like him isn't unheard of course, but you actually seemed shocked when he grew tired of you." He gave a chuckle.

"I-it didn't happen like that! And were you spying on me the whole day?"

Naraku didn't seem inclined to answer, as he merely smiled easily. Throughout all this, his red eyes stayed fixed on her, never breaking contact, and never blinking.

His head titled to the side as he pretended to consider something, his dark hair sliding over one shoulder. "Tell me _Kagome_ , what about him appeals to you? Is it his lack of empathy, or perhaps his open disdain for humans? Either way, that you chose him weighs heavily in my favor. You're making this extremely easy."

Kagome bristled, her hands clenching into fists as her eyes narrowed. "Because of your plans, right? So that's why you were watching me. You wanted to see who I'd write as my chosen love interest at the end of the mini game huh?"

Naraku finally blinked slowly, but his lips were still pulled up into a mocking grin. "I have little idea of what you speak of."

Her temper spiked once more. "Don't play dumb with me. You told me to stay away from Hojo, and now your asking about Sesshoumaru. I don't know what you're planning but it's obvious you feel threatened by the love interests."

When he remained silent but watchful, Kagome frowned. Something about the situation was off. This would usually be the part where he preened and spoke about his cruel intentions, yet he seemed to be waiting for something. An exclamation icon popped up next to her, but Kagome was too worried about Naraku to think about it.

She tried to calm both her anger and nerves by talking, but as she would realize later, this was an extremely bad idea. "There's no point in stalling if that's what you're doing. You've made it pretty obvious that you remember everything. Just tell me what information you said you had about this otome game we're in. That's the reason we came here isn't it?"

The icon that had been glowing red suddenly brightened, to the point that it blinded Kagome enough to raise her hand against the harsh light. When she hesitantly opened her eyes, Naraku's grin had morphed into a fierce, cutting smile. It stretched across his face widely, while his eyes were hooded.

"W-whats going on? What happened?" Kagome exclaimed as the light began to die down. She then noticed that Naraku's gaze had shifted to where the icon hovered in the air. "Wait...you can see it too?"

The half demon chuckled, his eyes closing in pleasure. "Of course miss Higurashi. As you have yet to learn, there is much about this place you remain ignorant on that I'm already aware of. For instance, I know that you will now be punished for breaking the rules."

Kagome's heart beat wildly in her chest. It was never a good thing when your opponent had the upper hand, but this was Naraku. If he knew so much about the game when she knew so little, she was practically a pawn in his hand.

Before she could ask, he explained, relishing her confusion. It didn't escape her notice that he took the time to tell her this, when he could have easily left her in the dark.

"None of the 'occupants' of this place may talk about the 'special circumstances' they have found themselves in, or acknowledge it too much. It breaks the illusion, and we can't have that, so the creator set this rule up so that punishment awaits those who jeopardize the illusion." Naraku waved a hand as though it wasn't all that important now that he'd had his fun. He then shifted from where he leaned against the table, his eyes intense and searching.

Kagome's head was reeling, what kind of punishment? How did Naraku know so much about this if he wasn't the creator? She felt worry and fear clamping down on her shoulders, yet she tried to think logically despite this. Her natural reaction was to give into her emotions, but she knew Naraku would only take advantage of that.

Kagome cast her mind back to the guidelines. "But I never even saw that rule."

Naraku pushed away from the table, and Kagome was once more alert to his every move. He made his way over to a shelf, pacing down the isle slowly, almost as if he were restless.

"I'm sure you'll get the opportunity to refresh your memory later. For now there is a more pressing issue we need to discuss."

Kagome stepped backwards automatically when he loomed closer, and cursed inwardly at letting him get to her. Naraku smiled pleasantly, and she forced herself to stay rooted in place.

"After playing Cupid today you received a chest, and inside it you were given a choice of prizes. One of them was a marble." His voice had become clipped and serious, betraying his annoyance. Kagome wasn't sure why he seemed angry with her until he next spoke.

"Unfortunately you chose a book instead, a thoughtless choice no doubt. However." He paused and looked at her, his mouth set in a thin, tight smile.

"Should you ever come across that marble again, you will take it and bring it to me." It was more a threat than a request. Kagome tried to distract herself from Naraku's red eyes staring intently at her by making light of the situation.

"This is sounding awfully familiar. What, you couldn't find the shikon jewel in this world so you need to obsess over another trinket? I'm guessing this one grants wishes too?" She rose a brow, and tried not to reveal her curiosity. What was so special about this marble?

"It will grant my wish in a way as it suits my purposes. Whether the same can be said for you remains to be seen. And with that, I will bid you good day, miss Higurashi."

Kagome blinked in surprise as Naraku started forward, intending to leave. She quickly moved to block his path, and his lip lifted, flashing teeth for a moment.

The miko frowned up at him. "What that's it? You're not even going to tell me what this marble is and what it can do? You're demanding I get it, and that I should just give it to you without knowing anything?"

Naraku just chuckled, utterly calm despite the fact that she was a priestess and could easily singe him from this distance. Kagome held herself back though. She wanted to play this smart.

When she didn't move Naraku's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't lose his smile. "I believed that threats would not be necessary as the old one still stands. I could easily kill the boy if you don't comply, so I'll be expecting your summons. I trust you've learned by now how to use the 'Optional items'?"

Kagome's teeth bit into her lip as she fought not to snap at him. Naraku pretended not to notice as he moved forward again, but paused when she didn't budge. It was then that Kagome looked at him, really looked at him, and wondered.

Why was he hesitating to move her when he'd pushed her about so easily last time? She resisted the urge to back away from him and stood her ground, her eyes straying from his as she noticed something on his neck.

It had been hidden by his collar that he'd turned up slightly earlier, and she remembered the flash of discomfort it had caused him to loosen his tie. Yet now she could clearly see the twin sets of marks on either side of his neck. They were faded slightly, but deep enough for her to see the indents where nails had dug into his skin.

 _"My warning."_  Sesshoumaru had said, when she'd asked what the blood on his claws was.

 _"He appeared to need a demonstration."_  Sesshoumaru's words now rang in her head, his voice sounding so close it was as if he were in the room with her.

It was suddenly clear why Naraku was behaving himself. It wasn't out of civility, it was fear, fear of the demon lord's reaction. Kagome wasn't sure what Sesshoumaru had said to Naraku himself, but he'd been adamant that she would not be touched by Naraku again.

_"If Naraku approaches you again after my warning, nothing you say will stay my hand. It is out of principle that I do this. Not loyalty."_

A part of her knew that hiding behind Sesshoumaru's words was cowardly, and that she should face Naraku on her own. But she'd tried that before and he'd overpowered her easily. So for this time, Kagome would be taking a leaf out of the manipulators book, and twisting this advantage into something she could use.

"That must have hurt." Kagome said softly, motioning towards his neck. Naraku's face shifted instantaneously from lightly mocking to savagely angry.

"That is no concern of yours." He hissed, now moving closer so that she felt small before him, but she stood firm, her voice calm.

"Oh I think it is. You see, 'threats are not necessary as the old one still stands'." Kagome looked him dead in the eye and smiled. "Sesshoumaru could easily kill you if given the right motivation. So I'll be expecting your explanation about the marble in hmm, about 5 seconds."

Naraku looked down at her, his eyes darkening as a terrible feeling washed over Kagome. The scent of miasma was barely there, but it clung to him like a second skin. She could practically feel its heavy presence in the air, making the memory of rotting corpses fill her mind. It made her want to gag.

His sudden laughter brought her out of the haze, and Kagome started, wishing she could back away from him. Naraku's laughter echoed through the empty library, eventually dying down into a quiet chuckle. He shook his head slightly.

"Forgive me, it's just so amusing. I had thought that when you agreed to talk with me earlier that you were facing me on your own, yet here you are, hiding behind Sesshoumaru's power and relying on someone else. Just as you always did. I suppose some things never change, do they shikon miko?" He sneered and dipped his voice mockingly at the title.

Kagome's hands clenched into tight fists, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from replying. She didn't care what Naraku thought of her, all that mattered was the information. That's what she tried to tell herself anyway.

When she didn't respond, Naraku smirked and lifted a shoulder. "Very well, I was interested in the marble because its an item that might be able to transport your friends out of the...'predicament' we have found ourselves in."

Kagome digested all this information slowly, before raising wide eyes to his. "Wait, does that mean it might free Sesshoumaru and anyone else who's real from the game?"

"Correct. But it will not free you."

Kagome thought for a moment, wondering how this would benefit Naraku. "That would cut down the number of love interests in the game. Why would you want that? Unless..."

She drew back slightly, it was just as she'd thought. "You want me to lose the game and stay in this illusion world don't you?"

"Also correct, you're doing very well today Kagome."

"I wouldn't-"

"If you're about to say that you'd never give me the marble I would reconsider your words. I trust by now you've noticed that demons youki is being drained here. If you take too much longer wooing Sesshoumaru, the demons here will continue to be weakened and they will eventually die." Naraku's smile widened at the thought.

_Demons. So Sesshoumaru isn't the only living demon here._

"If I decided not to win with Sesshoumaru and let him and my friends go, you'd probably get rid of the other love interests until your the only one left. Is that your plan? You want to win the game and free yourself?" She considered these words. If her theory was right then Hiten, Bankotsu and Hojo were definitely fakes, and belonged to this world. She couldn't say the same for the others just yet though.

Kagome eyed him warily, giving her answer. "I can't say for certain how long Sesshoumaru will take before he warms to me, but I'm sure I can win the game with him. I don't need the marble to save my friends, I'll save myself and them when I win." This didn't mean that she wouldn't take the marble for 'just in case' if she found it somewhere down the line, but Naraku didn't need to know that.

The spider hanyou chuckled, undaunted by her refusal. "I'd seriously rethink that plan. Sesshoumaru would never lower himself to be with a wench like you. Also Kagome, need I remind you that I am dead? I cannot leave this domain as I don't have a body waiting for me on the other side, winning would be pointless."

After seeing him stay in one place so long, Kagome was startled when he suddenly moved closer, his face leaning down to hers. Her stomach turned when his hair slid down from one shoulder and brushed against her exposed arm. The feeling of spiders legs running along her skin made her shiver in revulsion. His voice was velvet soft.

"You're also forgetting though that I can see the Love Meter. If I wanted to win all I'd need to do is make myself fall in love with you. And really, that's quite an easy task even for one such as myself." He turned and looked right at the Love Meter next to him.

She gave into her fear and stepped backwards, her blue eyes wide. "Stop it."

He continued on, his gaze almost feral when he looked back at her. "All I need to do is focus and I'll see 'her' inside you. That's all it takes. Just the sharpening of your jaw, the narrowing of your eyes, a more mature edge to your voice and -there." The Love meter beside Naraku rose up a level, now shining yellow.

Kagome's eyes widened and her heart thumped wildly in her chest. A sick, gnawing fear twisted in her stomach, and she felt tears prick her eyes. The helpless feeling that she'd tried to bury reared its head, and Kagome's knee's trembled, threatening to give out underneath her. She glared hatefully at him.

Naraku's lip lifted in satisfaction. "Don't despair my dear, I thought you were used to people searching for Kikyo inside you? Wasn't it the same with Inuyasha?"

Kagome to her mortification, felt the tears threaten to spill over. She wasn't hurt by his words, she'd moved on from that pain a long time ago. It was being in his presence that was so foul and crushing. The smell of miasma practically chocked her now, and all her old fears were resurfacing. It was one of Naraku's talents to pry open the human soul and exploit any weakness he found there. Kagome needed to get away, to clear her head and be free of him.

She couldn't stand feeling so helpless and weak in front of anyone, let alone him.

With more conviction than she felt, she said; "That's enough. I think I've heard all I need for today."

Naraku's smile turned jagged from the force of his dark grin. His red eyes flashed, and for a moment, he seemed to forget himself and the marks on his neck. He reached forward with the intent of touching her, and Kagome's blue eyes widened in alarm.

Just for a moment, she saw his hand morph into a grotesque talon, his fingers unnaturally long and sharp. Whether he meant to merely scare or seriously harm her, Kagome didn't know. She could only feel fear slam into her, knocking the breath from her lungs.

In a flash, her reiki shield was raised, separating them. Naraku slid back a few paces, his eyes widening in surprise.

She knew she could have let him violate the warning Sesshoumaru had put in place, but Kagome didn't feel like she could bare his touch. She felt vulnerable enough as it was, and had no desire to go running to Sesshoumaru, crying over the fact that the big bad Naraku had been mean to her. No, Kagome had had enough for one day.

She kept her shield up until Naraku left, his parting words being: "I'll be in touch soon miss Higurashi."

Dropping the pink shield, Kagome leaned heavily against a shelf, holding onto it for a moment to gather herself. She breathed in deeply, and tried to calm her frazzled nerves. Her clothes had dried somewhat during her conversation with Naraku but they were still damp, and she felt freezing. Resting her forehead against the wooden frame, she willed the tears away and waited until her heart had slowed a little.

She then took a deep breath and somewhat unsteadily made her way out of the library, not sparing the silent receptionist a glance. Stepping out into the street, Naraku was no where to be seen, and it had finally stopped raining. Kagome adjusted her Cupids dress, and avoided the eyes of anyone she passed on the street.

As she slowly made her way home along the fake streets of Tokyo, Kagome felt a chink in her armor. Ever since waking up in this world of pretend, she'd tried her best not to let it get to her, but what she could feel now was the force of a thousand worries she'd pushed away all coming back at once. She'd tried her best to adapt because she'd needed to rely on her strength alone, but now that same strength was failing her.

Kagome lifted her head when pleasant music accompanied by a gentle voice reached her. Continuing on, she passed a busker with a guitar, who was softly strumming. The melody, along with his voice, helped soothe and calm her enough that she felt like she'd make it home without making a fool of herself.

She eventually made it to the shrine, and touched the torii gate once she'd climbed the stairs. Smiling tiredly at the home that was not really her home, Kagome stepped forward.

OOO

"Hey sis!" Souta called from the courtyard, kicking a football. "Wanna play a game with me?"

She shook her head, her smile changing into something more genuine. "No thanks kiddo, its been a long day. Maybe another time."

Souta's head bowed, and he looked to the floor. "Oh, ok then."

Kagome was almost at the front door, but illusion or not she couldn't ignore her little brother or his dejected look. "H-hey squirt, don't be like that. I really mean it, promise. We'll spend some time together soon."

When he lifted his head, a bright smile was plastered onto Souta's face. "I know." He chirped with forced cheer.

 _You know?_  Unsure of what to make of that, Kagome went to open the door, but was stopped by his unnaturally soft voice. "Mom's in the kitchen by the way. I think she's angry about something, so...try not to make her too upset."

Kagome blinked, perplexed as Souta kicked the ball and chased after it _. Why would she be angry? Unless..._

Her mind raced with thoughts about the 'punishment' Naraku had spoken of earlier. Did this have something to do with it? Kagome hesitated, before slowly pushing the door open. It occurred to her, not for the first time since coming to this world, that the things she'd taken for granted before were now dearly missed. Everyday after school in the real world, she would have brashly opened the door, kicked off her shoes and put them aside haphazardly as she raced indoors. Her mother would be in the kitchen, sometimes just relaxing with a cup of tea waiting next to her. Everything was thoughtless and easy, so different from how it was now.

Kagome was cautious and slow in her home these days. Her every move was usually thought out, and she constantly tried to avoid her family members so that she wouldn't have to see their cold, empty eyes. Today was no different, but tension was now coursing through the air in the usually quiet house, making Kagome's palms sweat.

She quietly took off her shoes, her eyes wide and searching as she stayed on alert, listening for any footsteps. When none approached, Kagome placed her shoes in a holder and silently moved into the main room. The stairs weren't too far away, she could run but Kagome remained wary. She didn't want to alert her mother if she was angry, and judging by the still and silent house, she defiantly was.

Kagome bit her lip, her heart thudding in her chest as she finally made it to the bottom of the stairs. Lifting her foot, she placed it on the first step, and eased her way upwards. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued up when the house remained silent. The fifth step however, gave a groan of protest when she stepped on it, and Kagome froze in horror. The noise had been so loud in the quiet house in might as well have screamed her location. When nothing happened, her shoulders eased, and she made to continue on.

"Honey. Can you please join me in the kitchen?"

Kagome's back straightened, and she closed her eyes. "Y-yeah mom, I'll be right there."

Her mother was waiting for her at the kitchen table, her hands clasped together in front of her and eyes downcast. Her blank expression seemed strangely sad. Kagome's eyes widened at the sight, used to seeing nothing but a pleasant smile on the fake mothers face. When Kagome sat down at the other end of the table though, the smile returned, and her empty eyes stared fixedly at her.

When she didn't say anything, Kagome awkwardly tugged her dress over her knees. "I'm um, sorry I didn't say hello. Souta said you might be angry so I thought maybe I'd leave you alone."

"Oh sweetheart, I'm not angry, just disappointed. And really now don't tell porky pies, you always leave me alone." The fake mother's voice was even and light, there was nothing to indicate that she was upset.

Kagome flinched, not because she felt guilty for avoiding her, it was more for her own mother, who she left constantly to have adventures in the feudal era. Her mother hadn't once asked her to stop, but Kagome knew she worried about her, and preferred it when she was at home, safe.

She was genuine when she replied, but the apology wasn't for the woman in front of her. "I'm sorry."

"That's not enough this time honey. I told you I didn't want anything to change in our family, but you keep pushing us further and further away. I don't think I've ever seen you study, and I even got a call from your headmaster, saying that your behavior and grades are atrocious."

"W-what? The headmaster!" Kagome's expression darkened. "What did he say?"

Her mother's smile dropped slightly, before the mask was once more fixed in place. "That doesn't matter right now. What matters is this family, and what you're doing to it by chasing after men and acting this way. I understand your at that age honey, but are you really content with throwing us away for them? Your feelings of young love are fleeting, I don't understand what could posses you to put your relationships with boys above your own family."

"M-mom I-"

The fake mother closed her eyes and smiled tightly. "I know I don't usually do this but I think a punishment is in order. You're grounded young lady."

Kagome rose from her seat and leaned over her table, voice raised. "What? No, mom listen to me! You can't believe Naraku about anything! He's lying! I don't know what he's told you but I'm not some hussy, I've been working really ha-"

"I don't want to hear any excuses darling. You can go to your room and think about what you've done. Calling the headmaster by his first name only proves it all the more, you need to be away from men for awhile." Her voice remained even and kind, but some venom appeared to leak into her mothers tone when she called her 'darling.'

Kagome shook her head. "That doesn't prove anything. I can't be grounded mom, I need to do something really important."

"Yes, and I'm sure that again its more important to you than your family, just like this man." Her mother waved a hand in the air and a picture materialized from nothing.

Kagome stared in shock, both at the picture and the fact that her mother had broken the illusion that she was an ignorant puppet of the game. The image that floated in the air was one of her and Sesshoumaru from earlier.

They were pushed close together under the shelter of a building from the rain. Sesshoumaru's face was inclined down to hers, barely a breath of space between them. Kagome's face heated at the sight. No one could tell from the picture that they'd been angry with each other, or see the youki and reiki that they'd been using at the time. Sesshoumaru's red eyes looked intimate rather than threatening, and the Kagome in the picture seemed more awed than scared.

Kagome looked at her mother, swallowing. "You- how are you doing that?"

The fake mother only stared at her blankly, her eyes so empty and barren they made Kagome truly afraid of her for the first time.

"Off to your room now honey. Oh and there will be no dinner tonight for you I'm afraid."

Kagome was about to protest and ask more questions, when she suddenly felt a jolt rattle up her body from the floor. She closed her eyes against the flash of pain, and when she opened them, she was in her room.

Kagome's eyes narrowed and she quickly went to her door, intent on confronting her mother about the game. A part of her expected it to be locked, and was so grateful when it opened that she didn't notice the change of the hallway right away.

When she stepped out, and looked towards the stairs, she blinked, finding them gone. The hallway was instead composed of four doors opposite her. When she looked to her left, the door at the far end of the hall was open, showing that the bathroom was still in the same place at least. Kagome stepped forward in confusion and opened the door that would usually lead to Souta's room.

Instead, all she found waiting on the other side was another hallway, an exact replica of the one she'd just walked through.

"Mom?" Kagome called out, suddenly frightened.

There was nothing but silence. Kagome turned back, glad that her bedroom was still there when she looked again, before turning to the hallway that awaited her. She strode forward and opened a different door, hope and dread rising in her chest at the same time.

Another hallway greeted her.

Kagome growled and kept going, sometimes trying different doors, or opening all the doors on one floor, yet always she was met with the same thing. It was an endless cycle of the same hallway over and over again.

"Mom please. You don't have to do this alright? I'll be good, I'll stay in my room like you want, but just please stop this!" Kagome yelled at the top of her lungs when a tight feeling rose and burst in her chest.

Her hands shook, fear clamped down on her shoulders. For the first time since coming to the game it was like she was trapped in her own little world, and felt suffocated despite being the only one in it. Kagome opened door after door in desperation. She tried using her reiki to see if it had any affect on the illusion, but it did nothing. She tried going back to her room and using a chair to break the glass of her window, but it wouldn't budge.

Then she'd just kept walking, passing as many doors as she could. After what felt like hours, she finally came to a stop after opening rows upon rows of doors. Her head bowed and she felt the strength that she'd clung to leave her all at once, making her sink to her knees in one of the opened doorways.

Leaning against its frame, Kagome's shoulders began to shake. Hot tears made their way down her cheeks, and for once she didn't scrub them away. She was tired, frightened and more lonely than she'd felt in a long time.

"Please." She whispered, voice quivering. "Let me out."

"This is a necessary evil honey, I'm sorry." Came her mothers voice from somewhere. Kagome couldn't see anyone, and she bowed her head once more, her hand covering her mouth.

Her mind went back to all the times she'd gotten kidnapped in the feudal era, and how none of them had ever reduced her to such a mess before.  _The feudal era..._

Even back then she'd needed to be rescued, always needed saving. Whether it was on the battlefield or because she'd been taken by yet another demon, it had been a constant thing to rely on someone else.

Naraku's words came back to her, and her hands tightened into fists.  _'I had thought that when you agreed to talk with me earlier that you were facing me on your own, yet here you are, hiding behind Sesshoumaru's power and relying on someone else. Just as you always did. I suppose some things never change, do they shikon miko?'_

Perhaps this was proof that despite her insistence that she'd changed, she was still that little 15 year old girl. Maybe Inuyasha would show up. He'd break through the roof and demand she stop crying like a baby. Her lips lifted slightly at the thought, but she knew that couldn't happen anymore. Things had changed, even if she hadn't.

Somehow, between confronting Naraku earlier and then her mother, Kagome realized that she'd been left behind. She was still fighting their old enemy, even though he'd died four years ago, and clung to the memory of her friends and how they use to be, not who they were now.

She supposed it was natural, after all she'd been told for so long that she was important, that she was meant for great things and would save everyone by fulfilling her destiny as the shikon miko. She'd done that, and were she a child reading her story she would have been satisfied with that ending. Her adventures were over now, she was no longer a hero and she should stop trying to cling to the glory days and just live her happy ending.

Yet any fulfillment seemed lost to her, and Kagome feared that so long as she lived in the past, it always would be.

An icon flashed next to her, and when Kagome glanced at it, she snorted in derision.

'Punishment for breaking the rules is in session.' It read.


	15. The Gift

Although she'd made her way back to her bedroom, Kagome slept little, tormented by the worry and nightmares that flowed in like rain water. She felt loneliness suffocate her, and gripped the covers tighter as she tried not to think about the mother that had trapped her there.

She woke before dawn, sick with hazy dreams and soaked in sweat. She lay thinking of what she should do now, but after only succeeding in making herself stressed, she rose from her bed.  _First things first, I need a shower._

After dragging herself back to her room last night after endless hours of walking, she'd collapsed on her bed and chosen sleep over hygiene. Now Kagome carefully peeled the ruined Cupids dress from her body and slipped it off, combing her fingers through her tangled hair. She was too tired to properly worry about her temporary prison (and she assured herself this  _was_  temporary) so instead when she stepped under the warm spray of the shower, Kagome thought of Sesshoumaru.

She wondered what he was doing and if he felt as lonely as she did, since he was the only other known occupant of the game who was real. Kagome was used to being surrounded by people, or having at least one person to talk with, but even being at school with the drones hadn't made her feel any better. Now that she really thought about it, she'd been happy yesterday with Sesshoumaru when they'd played that mini game together. He'd been wry and aloof, but when she'd seen the warmth in his eyes, she'd felt a little lighter. The loneliness that had been with her ever since waking up here, no perhaps it had been there even before that, had ebbed away in his presence.

Yet the happiness she'd felt was now tinged with memories of what had come after, and she shivered under the spray of the water. She could still feel the crackle of power in the air, the sharpness of his youki and the burning red heat of his gaze upon her.

Kagome thought of his quiet rage when they'd spoken of love. This would probably make things with the Love Meter even more difficult. If he was completely shut off from wanting to experience love, then how could she make him like her enough to make the Love Meter rise? He'd been pompous and closed off before sure, but she'd thought he could eventually be swayed with enough time. If he truly didn't want to experience any form of love she couldn't see her clumsy attempts at romance making him change his mind. Still though, she wasn't about to give up just yet.

While his reaction had been strong, to the point that it had frightened her, she couldn't help but feel it was better than having him be indifferent. He cared enough to respond, and had done so with so much passion. Maybe he wouldn't think of love in such a dismal light if she could redirect that passion into the subject, not against it.

After showering, Kagome got dressed and glumly resigned herself to staying in her room. If this was a punishment from the game itself, not just her mother, then she really didn't have much choice on the matter.

"I need to get out of here." She sighed, sitting on the window ledge and gazing outside. The calender revealed that it had already leaped ahead to March, and it was now the weekend so no one would notice her absence.

Sure enough after a brief look at the guidelines again, Kagome had found the rule she was currently being punished for. In her defense, the font was small and the rule was tucked away at the bottom of the page, as if wanting to be passed over so that she would unknowingly brake it.

 _Naraku,_  she thought, her hands tightening into fists.  _Just how the heck did he know about this rule anyway?_

Though his name caused a shiver of revulsion to run down her spine, she was grateful to have learned a few useful things from him yesterday.

The marble was an interesting item that she'd definitely keep an eye out for, but it was the second piece of information he'd revealed that caught and held her interest.

To add to her worries, she now had a time limit on how long she could take wooing Sesshoumaru. If she took too long then he, and all the other demons who were real, would have all their youki eventually drained out of them. If Inuyasha was real then he'd just turn into a human, but the others? Their very lives now hung in the balance, and Kagome felt her heart clench in fear.

"I have to get out of here." She muttered, firmly this time.

OOO

The second day didn't yield any results on an escape plan either, though she actively tried to find one. After mid day she'd found a dinner tray outside her door the day prior, and opening it again today she found another.

 _At least they're feeding me_ , she thought, tucking into the bowl of steaming hot soup. She hastily moved her knee aside when some of it escaped her spoon, but it landed on the tray. She watched idly as it slowly ran down the tray a little, and frowned in contemplation. She'd tried yelling for help but of course no one could hear her, as the shrine was so isolated. Still though, maybe she could reach out in other ways...

Kagome put down her spoon and went to the window, her heart beating wildly. This could work, she was sure of it. Kagome reached inside herself and drew out her miko powers.

Spreading out her reiki around the room, she slowly built it stronger and stronger so that it enveloped the entire house. She then narrowed it, and bringing its focus back to her again, she let her powers pulse. It was like fumbling around in the dark, trying to find a light switch, but she knew Sesshoumaru would sense her if she just found the right way to reach him.

She thought she sensed a cold thrum of energy, before it abruptly cut off.

"That won't work sis."

Kagome jumped and turned to see Souta standing in the doorway. "Why not?" She asked warily.

"There's a barrier around the house, no one can sense you even if you use your powers." Souta rocked back on his heels, his eyes downcast.

"I'm um...sorry this happened." He muttered quietly.

Kagome looked at him in surprise. Still slightly cautious, she gave a hesitant smile. "Hey it's not your fault, you did try to warn me."

Souta's blank brown eyes met hers, and Kagome felt her heart lurch in her chest. She'd noticed it before without really being able to put her finger on what was different about this Souta, but now she saw it. He looked so much younger than he did in her world. He was a head shorter, his eyes, though blank, seemed wider and more innocent.

"You don't like it here do you?" He asked, slightly sad.

"You mean at home? Well no but-"

"No I mean this world. You don't like being here with us." Souta lingered in the doorway, his stillness and empty eyes reminding her of the fake Mrs. Higurashi.

Kagome's brow furrowed. "No, I don't, and I'm sorry Souta. I just don't belong here, not really. I have to get back to my real home."  _Even if I don't know where that is anymore._

He looked her dead in the eye. "Where the real Souta is?"

Kagome hesitated, before nodding. "Yeah." She said gently.

The fake Souta nodded silently, before entering the room and slowly approaching her. Kagome blinked in curiosity when he fished in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He offered it to her and she took it gingerly from his small fingers.

"I just wanted a sister of my own, but...I'd rather have no sister at all than a sad one." He stared at her seriously for a moment before smiling and turning away.

Kagome watched him go, words caught in her throat. When she opened the scrap of paper, it said; 'I don't think its fair that both of us should be prisoners in this house. Mother is listening so I cant talk with you properly, but I'll come back tonight. Pack a bag.'

The paper creased when her fingers tightened around it, and Kagome felt too many different emotions well up inside her at once.

 _S-Souta...do you really mean this? Are you letting me go?_  She dared not voice these thoughts out loud, and instead she slowly sat down on her bed, clutching the piece of paper tightly.

OOO

Kagome had gathered what belongings she needed into a rucksack over the course of the day, paranoid that her mother would walk in any second. She hid the bag under her bed when she was done, and then worriedly waited for Souta. She bit her lip, wrung her hands and watched the hours tick by nervously. Kagome liked having a plan, a vague outline of events to follow, but this time she was clueless what to do. What would happen once she was free and left home? Where would she go?

Kagome rationally went over what supplies she had. There was a sleeping bag, some money, fresh clothes, and a towel. Not much but it was all she had in her bedroom. From what she'd seen there wasn't a hotel in this game, but perhaps a path would open to her once she was free.

It was after midnight when Souta returned. Kagome sat up from her bed as the door opened, and seeing who it was, she got to her feet. Souta's hand rose and he put a finger to his lips. Kagome nodded and picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulders as she silently followed him.

Her brother opened a door on the far right in the hallway, and stepping through it, Kagome watched as he turned towards the door on the far left. They continued through different doors in each hallway, but Souta seemed calm and sure of himself, so Kagome trusted that he knew the way through.  _Maybe there's a pattern to the doors, so if certain ones are opened it lets you through?_

This theory proved to be correct as after a little while of walking Souta paused in front of a door. He grew still, as if listening for something, before slowly pushing it open. The courtyard awaited them, and Kagome wasted no time crossing the threshold and greedily breathing in the cool night air.

Souta gently closed the front door behind them before leading her to the top of the shrine steps. His quiet voice broke the silence as soon as Kagome had passed through the torii arch.

"You should be safe now, Mom, Grandpa and I can't leave the shrine so..." He gave a sad smile. "Good luck sis."

Kagome paused on the stairs, turning back to face him in concern. "But what about you? Won't mom be angry that you let me go?"

Souta raised his blank eyes to meet hers, and for once, Kagome didn't feel afraid. He responded with a faint, patient smile which made him look tired and worn. "Don't worry about me, just make sure you get back to the real Souta. I bet he misses you, actually I'm sure our whole family miss you. Mom- I mean, my mom, she just wanted you to stay with us. I think she's always been scared you would someday leave us for good."

Something inside Kagome folded and cracked under the weight of those words. Guilt swamped her once more, and the miko trembled under his accepting smile. "Souta..."

When she looked at him then, she saw her real brother staring back at her, and Kagome felt the pressure of her decision to stay in the feudal era more keenly than she ever had before.

Kagome's hands shook as she struggled with the effort it took to smile back. "You're the best little brother I could ask for, and I'm sorry it had to be like this."

She then turned away and descended the shrine steps quickly, grasping the straps of her backpack tightly.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, an unnamed emotion caused her to turn back, her breath hitching.

Souta stood at the top where she'd left him, only he wasn't alone now. Their mother was with him, her single hand on his shoulder looking more threatening in its tight grip than reassuring. Mrs Higurash's empty brown eyes bore into hers, a saddened look crossing her features fleetingly as she held up a hand.

Even from her position, Kagome could see it clearly, her stomach churning with dread as she stared at the blue marble in her fake mothers grasp. Her blank, sad eyes seemed to say; 'You won't be coming back for us, but you'll come back for this, won't you honey?'

Kagome turned on her heel and ran away, but even out of sight the image of the lonely family burned in her mind.

OOO

Kagome's feet eventually led her to the school. It was only a few hours until sunrise now, though the sky was still dark. Exhausted, Kagome tested the entrance doors and found them open.

 _I suppose there's no need for security cameras or locks in this place._  She rolled her shoulder tiredly and considered where to go, before an idea crossed her mind.

Walking to the sports pavilion, Kagome tried the door there as well, and felt relief flood her when it opened. She was so tired, and knew that she needed a few hours of rest before school started.

Somehow the thought of appealing to Sesshoumaru seemed very far away then, though she knew that was what she needed to focus on now. She needed to gain control of herself again, and put this behind her if she wanted any hope of winning the game.

If she won, then she'd never have to visit that house again.

Kagome crawled onto one of the large cushioned mattresses the gymnastics club used. It was hidden away in the far corner of the large sports hall, and rose up to her waist. When she sat on it, she sunk down a few feet and gratefully lay back onto its cool, soft surface. A proper bed would be nicer of course, but Kagome didn't feel like disturbing anyone so late. Besides that, a part of her shied away from the thought of asking for help from anyone.

Shrugging off her coat, Kagome placed it over herself as a makeshift blanket, and settled down for the night. Her fingers wove together as she clutched her hands close to her chest, shivering.

OOO

The sounds from the students outside walking to their classes was what roused Kagome from sleep. Sneaking out to the lockers, she found her spare uniform, and quickly brushed her teeth in the bathrooms. She threw worried looks over her shoulder as she combed her hair, but luckily no one walked in. Grabbing a snack from the vending machine, she made it just in time for class.

"Psst, hey! Kagome, are you alright?" Whispered Hojo, who looked at her worriedly.

Kagome smiled at him, her eyes tired. "Yeah, I'm perfectly fine thanks."

When she looked at him again, Hojo had turned away back to his notes, still looking somewhat concerned. Kagome sighed in relief that he hadn't asked more, and decided to try and find Sesshoumaru after class.

As soon as the bell rang she was out the door and heading straight for the kendo club. On the way there she bumped into Inuyasha. Literally.

"Ow, hey, watch it." He muttered after their foreheads had met, rubbing his brow.

"Inuyasha you ran into me, remember?" Kagome muttered, touching her forehead and finding it suspiciously wet. When she rose her eyes to his hair, she inquired;

"Why is your hair wet?"

Inuyasha huffed. "The bastard threw me through another wall and it dented a pipe for the shower on his side of the house. So he got angry and then broke mine too. Keh, and he calls me immature. The showers at school ain't so bad I guess," he shrugged, before looking at her and frowning.

"Hey, you're looking kind of pale, whats up with you?"

Kagome blinked, and feeling her chest tighten, she waved it away.  _I can't ask him for a place to stay, he might get in trouble like Souta when he helped me. Besides, I need to do this alone._  "Huh? Why is everyone asking that? I'm totally fine."

Inuyasha didn't seem convinced but she continued. "Speaking of Mr. Taisho though, do you know where he is? I kind of need to talk to him."

He rolled his eyes, "ain't here. He took the day off."

"Oh, I see," Kagome felt her heart sink. Now what was she supposed to do for the rest of the day? There wasn't much to do without Sesshoumaru around, so when Inuyasha finally left her she was at a loss how to continue. After awhile she decided to just keep her head down and go to class for the day.

OOO

Kagome only put her book aside when the sounds of life outside had gone silent. Putting away her things, she rose and looked through a window, finding the school empty once more. After finishing lessons she'd sneaked away to the sports pavilion again and waited inside until everyone had left. It seemed she'd already missed the sunset, as night was already creeping in, throwing the school in an eerie shadow.

Kagome decided that since there wasn't anything else to do she might as well head for the showers. Gathering her things, she hesitantly opened the door that led outside, wary even though she was certain there was no one around. The empty courtyard greeted her, and she blew out a shaky breath in relief. Stepping out, she glanced at the clock face on the schools main building, which showed it was 7.36 pm.

With only the sound of her footsteps comforting her, Kagome headed to the changing rooms and once there, went straight for the shower block.

It wasn't long before she was standing under the spray of hot water once again and lathering her hair. The water felt good against her skin and helped soothe her troubled mind. She desperately fought not to worry about her situation and instead keep her mind blank, but it proved difficult. Would she have to stay here until the end of the game now?

Rinsing her hair and grabbing a towel, she later found herself sitting in the changing rooms in her pajama's, looking over her notes. Kagome stuck a toothbrush in her mouth and traced her thoughts back to when she first entered the game. At the start it had all been so over whelming yet oddly funny in its strangeness.

Before she could dive deeper into her thoughts she caught the sound of running water. Shaking herself, Kagome rose in confusion and went to see if she'd left the shower on, but found the faucet turned off. Listening again, she could still hear the water running, and went to investigate.

Following the sound led her to the entrance of the boy's locker rooms. Kagome hesitated before going in. No one would be around at this time, she assured herself, surely someone had just forgotten to turn off a shower.

Stepping into the shower rooms, she first felt the hot steam against her skin, and watched as it curled in the air. Rounding a corner, the miko abruptly stopped dead in her tracks.

Her breath hitched at the sight, the toothbrush in her mouth pausing mid stroke as she froze. Her heart thudded, and she drank in the sight of him with wide eyes.

The Daiyoukai's head was tilted up, his eyes closed against the spray of the shower. The water beat down on his strong form, and Kagome stared at his broad shoulders, the rivets of water running down his sculpted chest and lean body.

She'd once thought Sesshoumaru attractive in the way that one might view an expensive painting at a gallery. His beauty was ethereal and sinfully gorgeous, but there was always a red barricade stopping any thought of touching him, let alone desiring him. That red tape had been put there by Sesshoumaru himself, and had instead replaced his image with a war lord born from battle and cold, killing intent.

Yet as Kagome watched droplets cling to his hair and run down his face, she felt the air of untouchable, unobtainable Sesshoumaru fade. All at once, he was irrevocably changed in her mind.

Heat coursed through her veins as she stood frozen with shock and other feelings she didn't want to name. Sesshoumaru ran a clawed hand through his silver hair, combing its length behind his shoulders. Kagome breathed in sharply, a blush warming her cheeks. Her eyes caught sight of stripes on his hips and- she stifled a squeak and quickly looked elsewhere.

She noticed twin markings on his ankles, and how bold they looked even in the steam. Idly she wondered whether the markings on his face, wrist, hips and ankles meant anything aside from showing his heritage.

Then the situation suddenly hit her. She was spying on the western lord taking a shower. He'd never been so vulnerable before her, and seeing him like this was wrong she tried to remind herself, definitely wrong.  _Bad, bad Kagome! I shouldn't even be looking at him..._ e _ven if he does have a nice-_

She gulped, and then fought not to choke on the mint toothpaste that was still in her mouth. At the small noise she made, his golden eyes snapped open.

Her heart was now hammering in her chest as her face flamed red. Yet the look he pinned her with was not anger as she'd expected, rather...it was curiosity.

"Miko," he said, in a smooth, dark voice, "what are you doing here?"

"I-" she felt her mouth go dry, and she swallowed, hoping the heat from the shower would account for her blush. "I'm so sorry! I think I was-um." Kagome's hands waved uselessly in her embarrassment and she quickly turned around, fishing for an excuse.

"I must have been um, sleep walking, yeah!" Her voice was thin and squeaky.

Sesshoumaru paused, turning off the faucet and causing everything to go quiet. "Sleep walking?"

"Y-yeah, totally! It's where you-"

"I know what it is miko, I merely question the fact that you apparently sleep with a tooth brush in your mouth."

She was about to respond that actually it was perfectly reasonable to believe that she could brush her teeth while sleep walking, when suddenly the sound of his voice was right behind her.

"It occurs to me now that while I might not be a benevolent demon, I have been more than patient with your pitiful attempts at lying. Yet you continue to disrespect this one with blatant falsities." His breath danced across her neck, and she shivered, the droplets from his wet hair hit the tiled floor beneath them.

"You will tell me now; Why are you at school this late at night in your sleep ware?"

Kagome felt strangely electric, and could hardly breathe. Her hands clenched into fists as she opened her mouth to reply, more excuses hovering on her tongue.

She jumped when she heard his next words uttered directly into her ear. "If you lie to me again, this one will be displeased."

It was easy to get angry since she was so embarrassed and confused at her heightened reactions. Spinning on her heel, she faced him with sparking blue eyes. "And what business is it of yours what I do! Why do you care? And don't use the excuse that you're a teacher."

He drew back slightly, eyes narrowing. "This one does not lie, that is not the reason."

"What then?"

Kagome fought to keep her eyes level with his, and she grasped onto her anger to distract from the very male youkai standing infront of her. As her eyes swept down just for a moment, she noticed he was wearing a towel at least. Still though, the beads of water on his chest caught her attention long enough that when she looked back up at him, she felt he knew where her thoughts had been.

His jaw tightened, but his velvet voice turned soft. "Answer me this; How did you get past my barrier?"

"What barrier?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes darkened before he looked away, a slight sigh escaping him. "That is your answer. There was a barrier around this area to stop any from intruding. By doing this, and other such things, you have earned a degree of respect from me."

Kagome's head reeled. "Oh, thanks."

"It is not something I take lightly miko. You will tell this one now."

She felt her annoyance wane, and tried to keep the emotions that bubbled to the surface down to a minimum. He seemed genuinely concerned about her, and she wavered, unsure whether to tell him.

Sesshoumaru noticed her hesitation. "Your gift was...well met." He murmured, trying a different approach.

Kagome's eyes strayed to the Love Meter next to him, and with a jolt, she realized it had gone up since she'd last seen him.  _He really liked the book I got him for Valentines?_

"I-It was? I mean-you liked it?" She stared at the meter that now shined barely above the yellow marker. It probably wouldn't take much to move it again, just something from her. Kagome's eyes widened. Something honest from her, an admission, even if it stung her pride to tell him. She needed to put those feelings aside, and on some level, she didn't feel any shame in telling him, only worry.

Tears welled up in her eyes, feeling the doubt, stress and fear that she'd pushed away swamp her at once. "I didn't have anywhere else to go." She whispered, stifling a sob.

Kagome's shoulders began to shake, her hands clenched the materiel of her thin pajama top as she crossed her arms to try and hold herself together. She didn't want to look weak in front of him, besides that she worried he might not appreciate seeing her so vulnerable.

Sesshoumaru sighed again, but his summer night eyes were burning with something she couldn't name. "Should you have asked, this one would not have turned you away."

The miko's eyes widened in surprise, and they stared at each other for a long, heavy moment.

Kagome broke the contact and glanced away. On some level she'd been worried he was angry with her after their fight. She was thankful he didn't ask about her family or situation at home. "I know I can survive on my own. I didn't want to burden anyone."

"I do not doubt that you could. However, merely surviving does not suit you miko. You are not someone meant for solitude."

Kagome opened her mouth to protest. She could manage on her own, she'd come this far without any help, but he cut her off.

"It is not weakness to need a pack. You thrive on others, and grow sick alone." He gestured to the pallor of her skin, and his eyes roved over her tired looking face.

Kagome's head bowed. It was true, but having a confidant in this world was difficult. She wanted someone to confide in, missed Sango and Miroku deeply because of it. They'd always been who she'd go to for advice, but here she was alone.

 _Well...not entirely_ , she looked up at Sesshoumaru. She understood what he was trying to hint at without saying outright. He was offering her to stay with him, and by doing that, she'd become a member of his pack. A companion, a friend, rather than just an ally.

Guilt pressed down on her shoulders. How ironic that the one person she was trying to manipulate to like her would extend an offer of help so easily, and without any prompting.

Kagome gazed up at him. She'd been wrong. He wasn't as cold as she'd first thought, and if she continued to pursue him, she felt he'd continue to surprise her with his kindness. In some ways, she felt crueler than him. He might sneer at the human concept of love, but inviting her into his pack was his own way of showing compassion.

She raised her head and smiled weakly, yet before she could say anything he spoke quietly.

"White Day."

Kagome blinked. "I'm sorry?"

He made an annoyed sound. "You spoke of White Day before. In exchange for a gift from a woman on Valentines, a man must give one back, twice as better than her own."

The smile that broke across her face was genuine this time as she laughed softly. "Yeah that's right."

Sesshoumaru's eyes softened as he inclined his head. "Then I extend an offer to stay in my home as my gift."

Kagome couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks as she grinned. A rosy, warm feeling was spreading through her chest. Hope blossomed into happiness, and Kagome smiled up at him, wishing she could express just how much his words meant to her.

"Alright then, thank you," a shaky breath escaped her. "I accept your gift."

Sesshoumaru watched as she brushed the tears away and scrubbed furiously at her eyes. "Hn, foolish girl." He murmured, and found himself relaxing when her scent brightened.

She laughed again, before gesturing to him, blushing. "Now would you please put some damn clothes on!"


	16. The Cheat Sheet

"And another thing, how DARE you cook such filth in Lord Sesshoumaru's domain! The very scent of it brings tears to my eyes, I can't imagine what such a pungent odor does to his!" A high pitched voice yelled.

"Cut the crap, you're a friggin toad! How the hell can you smell anything? Besides you and that bastard wouldn't understand good food like this even if it hit you in the face! He's got no taste and you...what the hell do you eat anyway?" A more snarky sounding voice replied.

Kagome paused to listen to the argument as she stood in Sesshoumaru's hallway. The Daiyoukai simply continued on, a small sigh escaping him that told of how often this incident occurred.

Playing dumb, since she wasn't supposed to know who Jaken was yet, (she hadn't seen him last time at their home) she inquired; "You didn't mention there was someone else staying here aside from Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru turned back, eyeing her in his coat. "I feared you wouldn't come if you knew. Jaken is not the easiest demon to live with."

Kagome smiled, shrugging her bag and the large coat that dwarfed her off her shoulders. Sesshoumaru had given it to her on the way there, since she'd been shivering from the cold. He'd said nothing when she thanked him, but even so her cheeks had not stopped blushing since the showers.

After taking off her shoes, she followed Sesshoumaru through to the kitchen where she could smell ramen cooking.

Jaken greeted Sesshoumaru before she entered. "My Lord! You have returned!"

But Inuyasha caught her scent. "What the heck...why's Kagome with you?"

She awkwardly moved forward and smiled when she saw the hanyou. Jaken spluttered, and was no doubt about to launch into a rant about filthy humans invading their home, when Sesshoumaru spoke.

"She is staying here now." He said in a tone which broke no argument.

There was a heavy stretch of silence as Inuyasha stared, mystified. Jaken gawked at her. Kagome shifted, uncomfortable but not wanting to show it. She supposed Sesshoumaru was indirectly stating that she was of pack now, so it was no surprise the two demons were stunned. Rin wasn't here to soften the shock of having Sesshoumaru accept a human into his pack. Were she here, it wouldn't be so strange to them to think that he could ever warm to a human.

Finally, Inuyasha gave a snort. "Heh, it's as I thought between you two then huh?"

Kagome blushed and looked away while Sesshoumaru said nothing, but the green imp could not hold his silence any longer.

"M-my Lord! Please reconsider, a human in this house will surely-"

"The decision has already been made Jaken." Sesshoumaru's eyes had turned deadly cold and intense, making the kappa shiver in fear. He mumbled an apology but sent Kagome a dirty look.

She decided to speak up at this. "Hey guys, I promise I won't get in your way, so how about we just-"

"They will attend you as you see fit." Sesshoumaru had now turned that flat, cold gaze on her. She saw nothing of the man who'd just an hour ago spoken so softly and kindly to her.

Kagome looked up at him with wide eyes, confused. She felt she was missing something that he was trying to make her understand. "W-what? There's no need for them to do that."

At that moment, her stomach rumbled loudly. Everything went silent once more as the room suddenly felt charged with tension. Sesshoumaru turned to where Inuyasha sat the table, just about to dig into his ramen.

The half demon's eyes widened at the Daiyoukai's expectant look. "Oh hell no. You can get lost, she ain't having this! I don't care if she's starving, this is mine. Get something else."

At this, Sesshoumaru's lip lifted slightly. Jaken quickly scuttled away so that he stood next to Kagome, who glanced down at him, perplexed.

The demon lord took a step forward and Inuyasha's ears lay flat, a glower darkening his features. "Keh, oh I get it. You hate me so much that you'd place a human above me, right? You're seriously gonna make me bow down to her?"

Sesshoumaru said nothing, and though Kagome couldn't see his face, the air around him was heavy and still. When he took another step, Inuyasha growled, gripping the hilt of Tetsusaiga and ripping it from its sheath in one quick flourish. The now transformed sword took up most of the space in the kitchen as the hanyou stood protectively over his food.

Sesshoumaru's aura only darkened with annoyance as he reached for his own sword.

Kagome gawked and quickly stepped forward until she was between them, holding up her hands. "Okay that's enough! Geeze, no wonder you're house keeps needing repairs, you don't need to settle every dispute with a sword fight! And especially not in the kitchen!" She glared at the two before turning to Inuyasha.

"Do you have any other food I can have instead?"

The half demon rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Keh, no. That's the last of it."

Kagome thought for a moment. "Alright then, how about this; We share the ramen between us, half and half. Sound good?"

"Like hell it does! I'm not gonna-"

Kagome bristled and narrowed her eyes, "it's a compromise. That way we both get something out of it,  _sound good_?" She uttered with gritted teeth, hoping he would drop the stubborn act. If he didn't agree then Sesshoumaru would surely continue the fight.

Inuyasha's ears pricked, before laying flat as he sneered. "Whatever."

The miko then turned to Sesshoumaru, who looked as impervious as ever.

"Well um, I guess that's settled. Everything's okay now." She smiled awkwardly.

Kagome could only guess that this was again some sort of demon/pack mentality that she was clueless about. Perhaps Sesshoumaru had been prepared to fight over food for her because of his alpha status, so Inuyasha refusing him had disrespected his command? But what had Inuyasha meant by 'placing a human above him?'

She gazed up at the Daiyoukai, trying to find answers. Sesshoumaru couldn't possibly have put her higher in the pecking order than Inuyasha could he? Why would he do that? She was new to the group, so it made little sense, and if it would only cause tension between the two brothers then she wanted no part in it.

Before she could ask, he turned away. "Hn, find me when you're done."

Leaving her a bit bewildered, Kagome could only sit at the table when he'd walked away. Pinching the bridge of her nose as Jaken and Inuyasha launched into yet another argument moments later, she felt a headache start to form.

OOO

After finishing her meal Kagome eventually found Sesshoumaru in the main living room by the fireplace. His eyes had been distant as he looked into the flames, his form tense. When he met her concerned gaze, he drew back into himself and projected the same image of aloof, sophisticated Sesshoumaru.

Without Inuyasha in the room however, his mood was considerably better. His lips quirked, "come miko, you need to choose a room."

As she grabbed her bag and followed him to the staircase, Kagome rose a brow. "That shouldn't be too hard considering you've got seven spare, unless there are some that are off limits?"

Sesshoumaru paused on the stairs, waiting for her to catch up. She suddenly felt a warm glow of gratitude spread through her chest, and Sesshoumaru gave her a vaguely uncomfortable look as he continued up the stairs. It was as if he knew she was about to thank him again, and wanted nothing to do with it.

"You may choose any you wish, in either wing."

Kagome blinked in surprise. "Really? You'd let me stay in the west wing?"

 _That's his own personal space, it's like his territory in this house. He'd be willing to let me sleep there?_  Kagome's mind raced with questions, and she checked his Love Meter. It hadn't moved, but even though he'd spoken lightly as if he didn't care where she slept, the air somehow felt charged between them.

Sesshoumaru's pale hand slid over the dark, smooth surface of the banister as they ascended. The ghostly pallor of his skin against the wood reminded her of something out of a gothic horror story. As he glanced back at her, she felt the weight of the words he uttered without understanding their significance.

"You may stay where you wish."

Kagome's stomach flip flopped at the oddly reverent way he'd spoken.

After a full few days of nothing but stress and tension however, Kagome was ill-equipped at handling subtlety. When his golden eyes finally left her face, she blushed, and wanting to diffuse the tension, said the first thing that came to mind.

"You know Sesshoumaru, if I didn't know better I'd think you were inviting me into your room or something."

Reaching the top of the stairs, it dawned on her just what she'd said. She'd meant it as a joke of course, but Kagome quickly became embarrassed when she looked up only to find him staring at her.

"Indeed, this one is relieved you understand his intentions." He said in a dark, velvety tone.

Her limbs locked in place as her eyes grew wide in shock. She was about to internally freak out when she noticed the tell-tale glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

Kagome huffed, her face heating as she brushed past him. "Not funny, jerk."

Sesshoumaru chuckled softly behind her as she stalked down the hallway, and even this was enough to make her quiver. Trying to focus, she immediately headed down the west wing. She didn't really want to invade his personal space, but since he'd offered maybe he truly didn't mind.

Her uncertainty made her worry though, and Kagome vowed that tomorrow she would do nothing but search for a book on demon courtships and body language.

Sensing youki coating the last door at the end of the hall, she guessed that was Sesshoumaru's room. The door in front of her was number 7, so it was only two away from his. Kagome wondered if she should choose one further away, but as she opened the door to peek into the room, her breath caught.

It was spacious and light, with large windows that led out onto a balcony. As she stepped into the room she immediately felt her shoulders relax and tension seep out of her. She breathed in deeply, feeling a light breeze on her skin from the open window. The bed was plump and comfy looking without being too large, just the way she liked it.

The overall room was simple but elegant, and had an edge of softness to it.

Kagome turned back to where Sesshoumaru lingered in the doorway, and smiled dazedly. He waited, but didn't ask if she liked it, he merely read her scent and relaxed when he found nothing but contentment.

"It's perfect," she breathed, taking it all in. "And there's even a balcony! I've never had a room like this before, and-wow! Is that an ensuite?"

Kagome gushed thoughtlessly, but Sesshoumaru wasn't really listening. Instead he took in the flush of her cheeks and the excitement in her eyes, how the words tumbled from her mouth. Though she still looked tired, the miko was much brighter and closer to her usual self. He hardly believed she was the same unsure girl he'd seen an hour ago in bare feet and bunny pajamas, hoping to spend the night in the school.

Sesshoumaru frowned to himself. He would make sure nothing like that happened again. She then turned to him, and he blinked, alert once more.

"Thank you Sesshoumaru, are you sure this is really okay?"

He waved a hand dismissively, "this is not something you need thank me for miko. This one promised a room, and it was given."

Kagome smiled and nodded, watching as his eyes turned intent and focused. "However, if you are to stay here there are certain conditions you need to be aware of."

Since she'd expected this, Kagome again nodded, turning to face him fully. "Alright, fair enough. What are they?"

Sesshoumaru finally crossed the threshold of the room, his expression flat once more. "Since you are human I shall speak plainly; You are now in my charge. As such, this one will see to your health and welfare. We spoke of it before if you recall?"

Kagome raised her head. "Yeah, after you found me with Naraku. You said that what he did wouldn't be tolerated if I were in your care."

The Daiyoukai stared down at her, his face touched by the light from the window. Moonlight caught his hair, but it was his eyes that glowed fiercely as his lips thinned.

"Hn, and in return you have an obligation to tell me if he should approach you again."

Her words caught in her throat as she digested this, slowly frowning. She'd been worried about this situation for some time. She didn't care about Naraku's safety, it was more that if she let Sesshoumaru harm him, she wouldn't get the answers she knew he still had. "Approach me again? I don't think he's going to do that any time in a hurry."

A low rumble made her jump, and Kagome's eyes widened. His face was a blank mask, but his eyes burned as they stared down at her, as if reading her very thoughts. "Then explain the reiki you released in the library several days ago. When this one arrived, Naraku's scent was there just as before."

Her heart thudded in her chest as the memory came back to her, and she looked away. What could she say? It would only be more excuses, more lies just like before. Kagome bit her lip, and started when his large clawed hand touched her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"Your second obligation to me is no more lies miko. Should you disrespect this one in such a way again, you will be punished." His voice was deathly quiet as his golden eyes flashed. Kagome shuddered and turned her head away so that she broke the contact between them.

Stepping away, she frowned. "I don't want to lie to you, I never do. In fact you know I don't, because I suck at it so much you can tell I'm lying pretty much instantly! I just-" Kagome stopped, feeling weary and tired as she ran a hand through her hair.

"I just can't tell you everything right now, I'm in a bit of a tough situation at the moment and I'm forced to lie about it so that I can keep it a secret. I wish I could tell you everything, you don't know how much I do. But right now, I can't." Her breath shuddered out of her as she forced her thoughts away from the pressure of the situation, the time limit, the fact that this was now a life or death situation if she didn't win him fast enough.

Sesshoumaru's voice was much softer. "You needent tell this Sesshoumaru your secrets, they are yours to keep. I merely ask that should you find yourself endangered because of them, you will seek help next time."

Kagome blinked up at him. He was probably alluding to the fact that he'd found her basically homeless because she'd been too worried to ask for help from anyone. She looked him over and found that he seemed just as tired as she did, though in less obvious ways.

She nodded, "a-alright. Anything else?"

Sesshoumaru turned to gaze out of the window, the slightly worn look on his features didn't suit him. "Only the usual loyalty and trust that every unit should have."

Kagome stepped forward until she stood next to him again. She touched the back of his hand where it rested at his side hesitantly, and smiled up at him when he didn't pull away.

"I still owe you that favour." She added, hoping to lighten the mood.

Sesshoumaru's sharp eyes found her face again. His claws flexed, and Kagome moved to draw her hand away when he suddenly grabbed ahold of it. "I am well aware." He said quietly, a brush of youki dancing feather light across her senses.

She didn't know what to do as his thumb rested over her knuckles, his large hand almost entirely covering her own. His youki expanded until it rested in the space between them, slowly coaxing her reiki to flare to life. The pale pink of her aura eventually met his and their powers made contact. Kagome's reiki attempted to purify, just as the youki tried to dominate, and they danced out of reach of one another before merging for a moment.

Sesshoumaru's eyes warmed as he dragged his thumb across her skin, and Kagome's heart drummed in her ears, her chest tightening. She was shocked at how strong her reaction was to him over such a slight thing, and how it wasn't fear coursing through her veins, but anticipation.  _Anticipation for what? What do I want him to do?_

Kagome's gaze fell to his lips, and her eyes widened.

Something in her expression must have alerted Sesshoumaru as a brief look of calm acceptance touched his face. He let her go silently and stepped away. He then calmly walked to the door as if nothing had happened.

Kagome's heart thudded in her chest, confused. He turned back slightly, "tomorrow you may stay here if you wish, to give you time to recuperate. Either way, write a list of what foods you require. Jaken will fetch what you need should you ask him."

She nodded, and touched her hand, still feeling the warmth of his palm. "Y-yeah, thanks."

Sesshoumaru nodded, giving her one last look before he turned to leave. Hearing his soft footsteps fade away, Kagome shook herself, before sighing heavily. "Goodnight."

OOO

Taking Sesshoumaru's advice, Kagome bunked off school and had instead spent the past three hours in the library. After searching rows upon rows of books for something pertaining to demon courtships or body language, Kagome sat down heavily on her chair.

"There's literally nothing here!" She muttered angrily, glaring at the stacks of books she'd piled up on the table before her. She knew it might be difficult to find relevant information on the topic but she hadn't thought it'd be impossible. She'd actually tried asking Inuyasha about the subject before he'd headed to school, but he'd just burst out laughing. Then, steeling herself, she'd even hesitantly broached the subject with Jaken of all demons.

"Why do you want to know?" He'd eyed her suspiciously.

"U-um, well I-"

"You're trying to find ways to seduce Lord Sesshoumaru into your foul human clutches! Well I won't have it! He will soon learn of your evil plot and cast you out of this house temptress! Don't get comfortable!" The green imp shrieked, snatching the shopping list from her hand and storming out of the room.

Kagome ran a hand over her face. To tell the truth she'd asked them about it in order to avoid leaving the house for the day. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night despite her comfortable surroundings, and after waking up that morning and finding that it was now Summer in this world, she'd gotten desperate.

The miko grabbed another book on demons, hoping with all her might it would tell her something.

If she couldn't find anything then that left only one option; Asking Sesshoumaru himself.

Even though that would be embarrassing as hell, the real reason she didn't want to ask is because it would ruin the surprise. If she could learn this silent set of rules that demons inherently knew, she could only imagine how he would react to her when she used them.

Kagome shuddered, and then frowned.  _Okay so maybe its nice having some male attention again, but I can't let this weird attraction to him get out of hand. I have to focus on the game._

In the back of her mind though, Kagome knew how hypocritical that thinking was. Sesshoumaru was putting his feelings on the line, so how could she protect her heart when his would surely get hurt? Besides it wasn't so strange thinking him attractive, as it was being attracted  _to_  him. She'd never felt that way about him before and frankly it was a little alarming.

Shutting the book that only told her more Japanese folklore on demons, she sighed heavily. However, when she turned to a volume on Kitsune's and opened the first page, something fell and hit the floor behind her with a dull thud.

Jumping in surprise, the miko turned to find a lone book laying on the floor. _It must have fallen out of the shelves..._

Just as she was about to pick it up, an icon sprang out of thin air, reading as; 'Item Unlocked!'

"But I didn't even do anything." Kagome rose an eyebrow suspiciously, looking around her. Maybe someone pushed the book out of the shelves on purpose? But she seemed to be alone.

Picking it up curiously, she stared at the title. 'The Inuyokai; Love-life of the 'Unloving'.

"Well that was easy." She muttered, only slightly bemused. Someone was either spying on her, or the game itself had decided to throw her a line.

Kagome weighed the book in her hand as she took it to the table, finding it quite light. Opening it up hopefully, her eyes skimmed across the page, skipping to different sections. Her expression slowly changed from eager to wary, then finally to stunned as she blushed.

Okay so maybe she shouldn't have skipped ahead to Inuyokai mating behavior but she'd been curious! Hesitantly rising and taking the book with her, Kagome turned to a more sensible area to start out with. There was cue's on the silent language of dog demons, their pack mentalities, what their courtships entailed. But what she'd read just a moment before stayed glued in her mind.

After checking the book out of the library using the receptionist, Kagome began walking towards Sesshoumaru's house.

Flicking the pages back to where she'd been, she read the text over again; 'Inuyoukai often use youki with potential mates by expanding their powers towards each other. When the youki aura's meet, the way they react off one another's energy typically shows how far along in their courtship they are.'

'If the energies spark or clash, it is usually because their hosts are in disharmony with each other. If the aura's dance together but don't touch, the couple are in a teasing/flirting, comfortable mood. If the youki merges together, it is a sign of total trust and affection, and the pair will usually consummate their relationship not long after in order to become mates.'

Kagome's brain flat lined as she thought about what had happened last night, and even before then when they'd stood in the rain on Valentines. Had Sesshoumaru known what they were doing? What it meant? Or did it not count to him because she was a miko?

She'd felt his dark energy pulse along her skin last night, and had felt the slight moment her reiki had contacted his youki without purifying it. That had to mean something.

"Hey, shouldn't you be in school?"

A hand landed on her shoulder, making Kagome freeze. Recognizing the voice, she turned warily.

"Shouldn't you?"

Hiten smirked, his blood red eyes glittering with amusement. "Guess so, but I'm not an upstanding student like you."

Kagome shrugged off his hand and kept walking. "I don't know about that, you only need to ask the headmaster to know that I'm definitely not a great student. Anyway Hiten, it was nice talking with you but I should really be getting home."

"I'll walk you." He said easily, falling into step beside her. Kagome lowered her book, suddenly alarmed. She didn't really want anyone to know just yet that she was living with Sesshoumaru, who knew how Naraku would react to it, or her mother.

"O-oh that's okay, thanks for the offer but-"

The Thunder Demons hand slid around her shoulders, bringing her into his side. Kagome went rigid, and he growled threateningly in her ear; "I insist."

They continued on in a tense silence for a few streets, Hiten's arm around her felt warm and uncomfortably tight around her. Kagome thought about singeing him, from this distance it would be a piece of cake, but she held herself back. It felt like something was boiling beneath the surface of his skin. Sharp static rang out from his fingers that were draped close to her neck, making her hair stand on end.

Kagome flinched while Hiten chuckled lowly, finally noticing which street they were heading towards. "So it's true then, you're staying with the dogs?"

"Is that what this is about?" She grit her teeth and held herself still, watching his reaction.

But Hiten wasn't like Naraku who attempted to cover his dislike of people with petty pleasantries and fake smiles, he openly grinned fiercely.

Tightening his arm around her until it hurt, Kagome bit back a hiss of distress as Hiten whispered into her hair. "Not really, think of this as a warning, like you did for me all those years ago. Remember that, Shikon miko?"

Kagome shivered, her mind racing back to when she'd tried to fib her way out of getting killed by the two thunder brothers.

Her stomach dropped as the arm around her only got hotter, the air beginning to crackle with power. "Do you remember how your mutt killed me and my precious brother?" Hiten smirked down at her, his eyes narrowed in hatred as he leaned in closer.

"You're right about the headmaster, he does kind of have a low opinion about you right now Shikon miko. So take my advice and do what he says, otherwise your little Shippo tyke will suffer for it."

Kagome's eyes widened as she tore herself away from him, grabbing a fistful of his uniform. Tugging it down roughly until they were at eye level, she spoke to him lowly. "If you even think about hurting Shippo it won't be Inuyasha you'll be dealing with."

She stared at him for a long moment, but the demons eyes only brightened at the prospect of a fight, and to top things off, his Love Meter rose.

"I look forward to it." He grinned, lips curled up in a sharp smile.

Her fingers loosened until she let go completely, and stepping away cautiously, Kagome eventually turned her back on him and headed for home. She saw this gesture for what it was; A scare tactic from Naraku to try and frighten her into action.

And now Hiten appeared to have joined sides with him.

OOO

After eating her evening meal that Jaken had begrudgingly made from the new ingredients he'd bought home, Kagome read more of the book.

'To willingly bare your neck is to offer your weakest point in trust, and while exposing the stomach is also a sign of submission, the neck is more often exposed by mates. It it often an intimate gesture as well as a sign of submission.' At this, Kagome thought back to when she'd pulled her hair back, showing her neck to him. Sesshoumaru had been affected by her, even though she'd done it thoughtlessly.

In reality Kagome was throwing herself into reading to distract herself from worrying about Shippo. She knew she wasn't in any physical danger from Hiten or Naraku, they seemed to need her for something else.

Stretching from her position on the living room sofa, Kagome inquired; "Hey Jaken, do you know where Sesshoumaru is? I haven't seen him since this morning when he left for work."

Jaken scoffed. "My Lord is an incredibly busy demon! He is a law onto himself, and his movements can't be traced by-"

"In other words you don't know where he is." Kagome smiled behind her book as the kappa grumbled to himself.

As the hours dragged on into night her eyes began to grow heavy, and the words began to blend together on the pages. Kagome shut the book tiredly and rested her head against the arm rest, dozing off in mere minutes.

The house fell into silence, only disturbed by the slight breeze outside rattling the tree branches. As Kagome breathed in deeply, a heavy feeling settled in her stomach, telling her that she was being watched.

A familiar youki spread over her moments later, urging her to relax once more. Her hair was brushed aside from her face, and Kagome's fingers twitched in surprise. She forced her eyes to stay shut.  _W-what is he doing?_

When she felt arms slide underneath her and lift her up to rest against a warm surface, Kagome's eyes snapped open.

"S-sesshoumaru, what-"

"You have a room for a reason miko." He muttered, carrying her in his arms to the stairs.

Resting her head against his shoulder sleepily, she blinked at the strangeness of the situation. Her gaze traveled from the strong line of his jaw down to his neck, then finally to the hand gripping her legs.

"Why do you have blood on your claws?" Kagome's fingers threaded in his shirt, hearing his steady heartbeat pick up slightly.

Sesshoumaru glanced down at her. "I had a 'talk' with a Thunder Demon."

Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't been planning on telling him about what had happened that afternoon, and that he'd found out so quickly alarmed her.

He noticed her scent shift and sighed slightly. "Again, it was merely a demonstration. This Sesshoumaru caught your scents outside."

Kagome frowned up at him. "You kind of jumped the gun on this one. He didn't hurt me, he just threatened me a bit, you didn't need to go after him."

Sesshoumaru stopped and blinked down at her, as if only just realizing she was in his arms. He breathed in deeply a moment, as if he was reading the scents in the air.

He finally came to and narrowed his eyes faintly, as if perturbed. "Hn, his youki was disjointed and difficult to read. I assumed the worst when I caught your distress outside."

His hands tightened as he avoided her eyes, his expression now clouded with muted anger. Kagome felt that he was berating himself for jumping to conclusions.

A part of her was deeply touched by his concern though, even if he had been a little reckless. Hitens threat against Shippo certainly made her want to act on the restless feelings she had.

When they finally arrived at her room, Sesshoumaru opened the door and quietly walked inside. "Your feet were turning blue by the time I found you downstairs miko."

"Huh, I guess it was a little cold." She yawned.

Kagome glanced up at him, only to find a pensive look marring his features. He seemed concerned in that quiet way of his, and she realized he was worried about her, even if he'd never say it.

The book had said that demons establish close contact with potential mates after a fight or threat had been dealt with, in order to reassure themselves. The miko looked up at him as he placed her down on the bed and moved away.  _Was that what he was doing by carrying me up here?_

She then remembered another extract; To kiss or lick at the jaw is to ask for forgiveness. You place yourself in range of the alpha's fangs, a dangerous position should their favor not be granted.

Kagome bit her lip. She'd made him worry sure, but did that warrant asking forgiveness? And could she really do it? Not for the first time, Kagome was confronted with a thought; Just how far was she willing to go in order to win the game?

Before he could move away from the bed entirely, Kagome rose up onto her knees and gently grabbed his shirt. Sesshoumaru stopped in surprise, looking down at her in confusion as Kagome's heart began to race.

She slowly, carefully brought herself closer until she was just a breath away from him, before leaning forward and brushing her lips against his jaw.

When she pulled away, Sesshoumaru stared down at her mutely, his golden eyes slightly wider than usual.

Squirming under his intent gaze, Kagome cracked. "D-did I do it right?"

The hazy mist clouding his stunned expression cleared in an instant at those words. "Hn, I take it you learned that from somewhere then?"

"Ur, yeah, I just wanted to learn a few actions that demons use to express themselves so I could fit in a little better here."

He looked down at her and said, not unkindly; "There is no need to act like a demon, you are not one."

Kagome blinked, but smiled anyway. "I know that, but you tried so hard to understand Valentines Day and other things about human culture. Even if you didn't agree with them, you still wanted to learn. I want to do the same for you."

Sesshoumaru weighed her words, a faint frown on his face. His eyes slowly warmed, until a dark, intrigued look replaced his thoughtful expression.

"Very well, but if you do this then turnabout is fair play miko."

Kagome felt her skin heat up and her heart race once more in anticipation. When his Love Meter rose, she squashed the guilt deep down but couldn't help but wonder what he would do once he learned of her deception.


	17. The Cultural Festival

"We're not hosting the Maid Cafe!" Kagome glared up at Inuyasha, who frowned in annoyance.

"If your class doesn't do it then mine'll get stuck with it! I aint gonna dress up like a chump and serve people so switch with us already!"

Kagome set her napkin down on the table, while Jaken who sat opposite her, continued on with his attempt at making a swan.

"Look there's no way I'm dressing up in another ridiculous outfit for the benefit of the school, I'm sorry Inuyasha but you'll just have to deal with it. We've already chosen what event we're going to hold."

Inuyasha's frown deepened as he huffed and gestured to the decorations and swan napkins spread out before them in the kitchen. "Keh, but you like helping with this girly crap and besides you dressed in that frilly get up for Valentines, I don't see why you can't do it this time."

Kagome blushed and glanced down at the table. She'd volunteered to help make decorations for the Maid Cafe even though she wasn't in their class, simply because she knew how busy Sango was. As the class president Sango had been placed in charge of allot of events in the upcoming Cultural Festival, so Kagome figured the least she could do was help her with this.

Her own class had settled on an idea for the festival just yesterday. If she were being honest though, Kagome wouldn't have minded hosting a maid cafe, but Sesshoumaru had said he would visit her on the day of the festival.  _No way am I going to prance about in a maid outfit of all things with him around. Oh God, I'd probably have to serve him and call him 'Master', oh heck no._

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her stubborn silence. "Feh, whatever. If your class aint gonna do it then what are you going to do? A Haunted House?"

Kagome shook her head. "Nope, we're holding a Board Game Tournament."

At this, both Inuyasha and Jaken burst into laughter, though the imps chortle broke into a shriek of terror as his swan napkin's wing crumpled in his hand.

Crossing her arms, Kagome felt her brows knit together in worry. A maid outfit would probably entice a normal man more than a Shoji match would, but she felt like she was a little better at reading the icy demon lord now. Skimpy outfits didn't seem to interest him too much.

Challenges on the other hand was something that always caught his attention.

The hanyou held up a clawed hand as he chuckled. "Fine, whatever dork."

Seeing him in a somewhat better mood, Kagome decided now was the time to speak up. "Jaken, I'm sorry but could you give us a second alone?"

Jaken grumbled a foul word under his breath as he stomped from the room with his ruined swan napkin.

Kagome turned in her seat to look at Inuyasha, who blinked in confusion. "What's so important that you need the toad out the room for?"

She felt heat creep into her cheeks as she took out the Inuyokai book from a nearby bag. "You read this, didn't you?" She growled, blushing furiously.

"Keh, yeah, it was on the couch a few days ago, knew it was yours from the scent. How'd you know I read it?"

"Well for one thing I remember leaving it down here one night after-" She shook her head, trying not to think about Sesshoumaru carrying her up to her room. "Anyway the next day it was resting on my dresser smelling strongly of ramen. It doesn't take a genius to know who it was."

Inuyasha shrugged, and scratched an ear lazily before leering at her.

"It made me see that you really are serious about the bastard, but do you seriously need a demon mating pamphlet to bag him?"

Kagome rose from her seat with as much dignity as she could muster, clutching the book to her. "Thank you for returning it to me at least." She answered shortly, brushing past him.

Before she could leave though, Kagome suddenly remembered the reason she'd confronted the hanyou in the first place. Turning to look over her shoulder, she frowned suspiciously. "You didn't happen to tear out any pages by accident, did you?"

His ears pricked, before he shook his head. "No, why'd you ask?"

The miko worried her bottom lip, one part in particular standing out to her. "In the chapter about mating rites it just breaks off at one point, like there's some pages missing." She'd wondered if someone had taken them out on purpose to stop her from learning something important.

He frowned, but shrugged easily. "Cant say I noticed."

Kagome nodded, and was about to leave when Inuyasha stepped in her way, looking slightly apologetic. "Look it's not like I'm judging or anything..." He muttered, before looking at her seriously.

"But do you ever think that some of it sounded strange?"

She blinked, knowing she couldn't exactly say that all of it was strange to her. She wasn't a demon after all. "Which part?"

Inuyasha frowned to himself, golden eyes conflicted. "None in particular. Look I don't know much about the mating rituals since I wasn't raised by demons, but just be careful alright? Don't do any weird shit if you don't want to."

Kagome smiled and nodded, touched by his concern. Inuyasha crossed his arms and huffed. "Besides you can't be distracted for tomorrow, you've memorized all the lines for the presentation right?"

The miko rolled her eyes. "Of course, I'm on top of everything. Don't worry it'll be fine Inuyasha." In addition to the Cultural Festival taking place, a separate classroom had been set up for students to get their projects graded. The duo would finally be showing there's at 11.00 pm.

"Keh, who says I'm worried." With that remark he stomped off, grouchy as ever. Kagome only smiled and shook her head, feeling excitement bubble to the surface at the thought of tomorrow.

OOO

It was especially hot and dry on the day of the festival. Kagome greedily breathed in a gust of the early morning fresh air that cooled her heated skin. As she continued on her way to school, the bag of decorations under her arm, Kagome wondered about the book as she ran her finger down the inside pages, feeling for any bumps that would indicate pages missing.

It seemed to be flawless, so if someone had ripped pages out they'd done it precisely and evenly. The missing pages were from the mating rites section, which spoke about aura's merging and complete trust in one another one minute- and then cut off the next.

Before she could contemplate who might have stolen the pages, Kagome bumped into something. Lowering her book and blurting apologies, Kagome blinked down at the eerily familiar little girl.

"Watch it!" The girl grumbled, before her eyes widened in recognition.

She clicked. "Souten..." Kagome stood frozen on the spot, not knowing what had startled her so badly until Souten turned on her heel and bolted away from her.

It was then that Kagome knew Hiten's sister remembered her, remembered the feudal era. She knew from the look in her eyes, the awareness that wasn't there when Inuyasha looked at her.

"Souten wait!" She called, running after her.

But the demoness was faster, and soon Kagome lost sight of her in the bustle of students. Expanding her aura, the miko tried her best to concentrate despite the burn of her lungs and legs. A faint slip of young youki was enough to tell her where Souten was though, and Kagome stared up at the school.

_Souten remembers me, but why did she run away? Does she know something about the game?_

Kagome breathed in heavily, trying to focus. Souten had appeared out of no where on an empty street Kagome had walked several times. There were no other streets on that road, just buildings all squashed together with doors that wouldn't open. As she stepped forward into the throng of students all setting up the festival, it struck Kagome that there were streets she couldn't see, locations that she didn't know about. Maybe Souten could show her how to find the orphanage.

With that thought in mind she pressed on, moving around the stalls in the courtyard that had been set up similar to how they'd been on Valentines. She passed one area that had been transformed into an outdoor theater.

Since it was so busy she couldn't locate Souten, and every time she tried she accidentally found Sesshoumaru in the dojo.

His youki reached out to her questioningly, as if asking if she was alright. Kagome gentled her aura, their energies touching for a moment. Since she'd been staying at his home, the demon lord would often extend his aura's to hers, and she would do the same. The communication felt oddly natural and calming to her, and she found she was able to send simple feelings like contentment or worry to him this way.

Inuyasha had complained that it was like they were playing footsie under the table.

Sending him reassurances, his youki drew back, and she was able to focus on Souten once more. Yet as she searched, Kagome began to see more and more adults on each floor of the building. At first she simply ignored it, but it began to weigh heavily on her mind. There was something different about today than just the festival.

It came to her just as she rounded a corner and found Souta waiting in the hallway.

_You should be safe now, Mom, Grandpa and I can't leave the shrine..._

But the cultural festival was a day for parents and siblings to visit their family members and see their work.

"Souta..." She trailed off, unsure what to say. "Are you alright? Is...is mom here?"

Souta's face had brightened upon seeing her, but at the mention of their mother his blank eyes seemed even more bleak.

"Yeah, shes here. But don't worry sis, I don't think shes here to see you. She rushed off in a hurry as soon as we got here, but I think she's gone to the headmasters office."

"R-really? What makes you say that?" Her voice was shaky and thin.

Souta continued on undaunted. "She's spoken with him a few times on the phone since you left. I came to try and warn you because... today she took the marble with her when she left the house."

Kagome frowned, annoyance curling her lip. Just once she wanted a day where there wasn't any scheming behind her back with Naraku running around pulling the stings. She grasped onto the annoyance to distract herself from the worry of what she was about to do.

"Alright, thanks Souta. You stay here for now alright? There's something I need to do." Souten would have to wait for now.

She turned and began towards the flight of stairs that would take her to the upper floor when Souta called out to her. "Wait, what are you going to do?"

Kagome smiled and winked at him. "Oh just some snooping."

When his concerned expression only deepened, she felt her smile lesson slightly. "Naraku's wanted that marble for awhile now I think. He asked me to give it to him, and its a way for him to send everyone here from my world back to their own time. The only problem is, it leaves me when it takes everyone else. I'll be stuck here in this illusion world if he uses it."

_Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha...everyone would be back in the feudal era except me. Just like before._

Souta nodded seriously. "Okay, I understand. If you don't want me to go with you, then I might head home for now. Just be careful sis."

Kagome smiled reassuringly and quickly turned, running up the stairs as fast as her legs could take her.

OOO

The top floor of the school was home to many classrooms all decorated with different themes. Kagome passed many of them as she continued on, barely noticing their elaborate designs. The only room she was interested in was the headmasters office.

She felt it was telling of just how little Naraku cared about his students to have his office so far from the reception on the ground floor. If this were a real school with real problems then no end of parents, teachers and students would have to walk all the way up to the final floor just to speak with him.

Carefully letting a slip of her aura out, Kagome found she couldn't detect him anywhere near. She cautiously pressed her ear against the door of his office and listened, hearing only silence.

Her palms were sweaty as she tried the door, finding it open. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding when a push revealed that the room was indeed empty. She was about to go inside when a hand fell on her shoulder.

"Kagome, there you are! I've been hoping to run into you!" Hojo beamed happily.

Kagome jumped back, putting a hand over her heart that was slamming painfully in her chest. "H-hojo?! What are you- why are you?"

She caught her breath and calmed herself. "It's um, good to see you Hojo but I'm a little busy right now. Do you think we could catch up later?"

Hojo smiled in a good-natured way. "I suppose we could, but why not catch up right now? What are you busy with? I'd be happy to help."

Kagome resisted the urge to slap her forehead, and instead froze on the spot at the muffled sound of Naraku's voice. It was coming from the nearby hallway, and sounded like it was getting closer.

Doing the first thing that comes to mind in a tough situation isn't always the best plan, but Kagome knew Hojo well enough to know that he wasn't going anywhere. An optional dialogue icon popped up in mid air, but Kagome ignored it just as she had countless times now, since it didn't seem to help much.

If she ran into the office alone, he'd stand there perplexed and jovially tell the headmaster that she was waiting inside.

So instead she grabbed the boy's hand and roughly shoved him into the office with her. Once inside she shut the door and found a nearby closet big enough for two people waiting for them.

"Kagome what-" Hojo was cut off as yet again Kagome manhandled him into the closet. She quickly stepped inside with him and shut the doors, hushing any protests that Hojo had.

She was internally panicking by the time the door to the office opened and Naraku stepped in. Kagome peeked through the small gap in between the doors, and was only half surprised when her mother stepped in as well.

"-Seems you have been busy my dear, but why did you not give the item to me right away? That was the deal we made if I recall correctly." The headmaster was saying. The blinds were drawn, giving the room a claustrophobic feel despite its large size. He turned on a dingy lamp light which illuminated his gleaming red eyes.

Her fake mother took a seat across from him as he sat behind his desk. She was tightly clutching a small purse. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience but with circumstances as they are I thought it best to wait. You promised my little girl would come back to me, but instead I've heard that she's taken up residence with Mr. Taisho and her schoolmate Inuyasha!"

It was obvious her mother didn't think much of her living with two men. Kagome rolled her eyes from behind the closet door, but at the news Hojo made a noise.

Naraku blinked and looked up from the paper work on his desk. Kagome silently grabbed ahold of Hojo and placed her hand over his mouth, telling him with a sharp look in her eyes to be quiet. He wisely said nothing else, but blushed at how closely they were pressed together in the small space.

Kagome didn't notice, and even worse, didn't see his Love Meter rise to the blue marker.

"Don't trouble yourself with the dog demons. Your daughter will come back to you as soon as the marble has been used. Without any means of escape she'll willingly come to you, I give my word." His velvet voice was full of soft, genuine assurances. Kagome could only hear slick, practiced words.

"I-I know you're right, here." Her mother opened her purse and took out the marble, her thin fingers looking so fragile in the soft light. Naraku took it from her and held it up for a moment, his crimson eyes glinting.

There was a timid knock on the door, and Naraku smoothly rose to open it. Kagome shifted to see who it was, unaware she still held onto Hojo, who blinked uncertainly at the situation.

"Ah, welcome. I've been expecting you little one."

"Don't call me that, I'm not so little." Kagome recognized Souten's voice before she saw her.

She then felt the familiar brush of white hot youki that signified Hiten's presence lurking just outside.

Naraku chuckled in amusement. "Very well, as you know I've an important task for you. Here-"

To Kagome's amazement, Naraku handed over the marble to the little thunder demon. "Take this with you, and make certain not to lose it or hand it over to anyone."

Souten nodded happily, obviously liking the responsibility of looking after something so important. She was unaware of the look Hiten leveled at Naraku as he leaned in the door way.

"Why don't you just use that thing now and get rid of the Daiyoukai?" He muttered.

Naraku's eyes glittered with dark menace as he smiled, his lips curling in a way that revealed his anger at being questioned. "Unfortunately the only one who can use the item is Kagome, since it's meant for her. The only option we have is to hold onto the marble for now."

"Pfft, what good is waiting?" Hiten growled, crossing his arms.

The headmaster's eyes narrowed, the dim light shadowing his face. "It will prolong her suffering. Waiting for the opportune moment to strike will give me the right tools to break her. When she's reduced to nothing, lost all hope, that is when she will use the marble of her own free will."

Souten pipped up at this, looking worried. "How can you be so sure?"

Naraku's blood red eyes slid down to her, a cruel sneer touching his lips. "I've dealt with people in love before, and knowing the miko's nature, she won't hold out very long against the temptation to use the marble. Once she see's the pain and suffering her friends will endure she'll want to save them, even if it means staying behind here herself."

Mrs. Higurashi looked unsure. "If you're certain this is whats best..."

His pale hand fell onto her shoulder as Naraku stood over her. It took all of Kagome's willpower not to break out of hiding and rip his hand from her. The sight of him, so dark and evil standing over an imitation of her gentle mother made her blood boil.

"I know it's difficult to wait but trust me my dear. You will finally have your child back this way." He murmured silkily.

Kagome stared at her mothers hopeful expression, something nagging at the back of her mind. She released Hojo and put a hand to her head as it started to throb. She closed her eyes against the ringing in her ears, and thought she smelled rotting flesh.

"I'll have my child back..." Her mother whispered softly.

Kagome squinted through the pain and felt her heart stutter in shock. Her mother's face...there was something off about it.

She frowned, concentrating. The fake mothers features slowly blurred until they faded away completely, and Kagome was left staring at a faceless woman.

Kagome was speechless, but the logical part of her brain kept turning. There was a name for this creature.

_What did Myoga call it? A wraith? A dead mother...no an Unmother demon._

Kagome felt sympathy squeeze her heart as she remembered more.  _A youkai that's born through the grief and suffering of a mother that has lost her children to famine or war. But whats she doing here?_

An Unmother had pretended to be Inuyasha's mother not long after Kagome had started her adventures in the feudal era. But Kagome had been under the impression that all the drones in this world were illusions, a part of the game. Was it possible some of them were demons in disguise?

Naraku's kind expression didn't change even as the Unmother's mask slipped. It lasted only a few moments before the face of Mrs. Higurashi was back in place.

"Guess we should get going then." Hiten muttered, his hand falling gently onto Souten's head as he steered her from the room. The Unmother then rose, thanking Naraku and leaving herself.

Kagome moved away from the doors, her mind whirling with yet more questions. Hojo put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, but was clearly confused. She fought the urge to move away from his touch, wondering if he too was a demon.

 _When did this all become more than a dating sim?_  She sighed, and watched as Naraku finally rose and left the room.

The two students crept from the closet and out the office door. Looking around, the headmaster was no where to be seen, and Kagome dragged Hojo with her around the next corner.

She released a long exhale when they were some distance away, and Hojo blinked at her questioningly. "What was all that about Kagome?"

Smiling weakly, Kagome waved away his concern. "Just some business my mom has with Mr. Onigumo, its nothing to worry about. I was just being nosy." She decided not to confront him about being a demon or not.

"You seemed really upset in there, maybe you should talk to the headmaster and tell him whats on your mind. Stress isn't good for your skin." Hojo said in a very doctor like tone.

Kagome shook her head and followed him downstairs towards their classroom. "I'm sorry Hojo, but that's the last thing I'm going to do."

OOO

After dropping off the belated decorations for the Maid Cafe, Kagome joined Hojo in their classroom. Many tables had been set up with different board games on them, both old and new. There was so much swimming in her mind that Kagome didn't feel much like entertaining people with games. She knew Souten and Hiten would be long gone by now so there was no point in searching for them.

In the back of her mind she felt she was forgetting something important, but the thought quickly vanished amidst the tidal wave of other worries.

Taking her place behind a table, she felt the warmth and sharp static of his youki before she saw him. Turning a corner, Sesshoumaru's eyes instantly locked on hers, something in his expression changing when he saw her. It wasn't overly obvious, and to the untrained eye he looked barely affected, but Kagome saw a softness in his gaze.

"It appears you've had a busy day miko." He said, sliding into the chair opposite her.

She smiled in greeting, something restless inside her calming in his presence. "What makes you say that?"

"You've distracted me numerous times today with the fluctuation of your aura. I trust you didn't get yourself into too much trouble with...whatever it was?" Sesshoumaru rose a brow as he looked her over.

"O-oh, no it went fine, I mean I was fine. I guess it's just because I got myself a little worked up. No change there huh?" Kagome laughed weakly and Sesshoumaru stared at her flatly, not impressed with her poor attempt at distraction.

"So um, shall we have a game? That's why you came up here right?" Her blue eyes glittered as she smiled.

"This one came to see  _you_  miko, this game is not necessary if you do not wish to play." Kagome glanced up at him, stunned. Her insides melted at those words, and she felt herself soften.

"Aww come on, how often do we play-" She checked the game infront of them and bit her lip to stop from laughing. "Battleships?" She said weakly, knowing the plastic board game probably wouldn't impress him.

But something akin to interest lit up his eyes. "Hn, very well. How do we play?"

Kagome explained the game to him, throwing herself into the conversation to distract herself from the very real thoughts and stresses that plagued her. She wanted so badly to forget them, to immerse herself fully in Sesshoumaru's company, but every so often her eyes dragged back to his Love Meter.

Naraku was planning to strike, and soon. What he was going to do she wasn't sure, but it was bound to involve harming her chances with Sesshoumaru.

His Love Meter was currently at the green marker, and her gaze traveled up to the different levels still waiting to be touched. Blue, indigo, violet and lastly a thin layer of pink separated them from freedom.

"You have the scent of a male on your clothes." His reticent voice broke through her thoughts.

She raised her eyes to his and was about to ask slyly if he was jealous, when she found only thoughtfulness in his gaze.

"Namely, that boy over there. The one you said was in danger of Mr. Onigumo."

Kagome laced her fingers under her chin, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, I ran into him earlier. Literally."

The demon lord nodded, but something told her he wasn't satisfied by her words. "D10." He muttered.

"Miss." She sang happily.

They continued this way for some time, exchanging small bouts of banter between searching for each others ships on the board. Finally, Kagome sank her first ship.

Sesshoumaru took the loss in stride, but couldn't help nit-picking. "In a game involving naval based strategy I thought there would be more strategy and less..."

"Guessing?"

"Hn, you took out Lord Takeru by simply calling out random locations."

Kagome blinked, and looked at the plastic ships on her board. "Um Sesshoumaru, I think the technical term for the size 5 boat is an Aircraft Carrier..."

The western lord looked serious and collected as he sat before the board game. "That may be so, but I assigned different lords of the lands to the various ships. The size of the ship parallels the size of that lords army and collective power."

She hid a smile behind her hand. Leave it to Sesshoumaru to overthink a game that children could play. She found it extremely endearing. "So Lord Takeru has the most power in the lands? Which Lord is he?"

"The Northern Lord, A8."

"Hit, so why didn't you put the western lands as the most powerful?" Kagome placed a different piece on the board, indicating she'd been hit.

When she looked up, she blinked in surprise at his grave expression. "That would be inaccurate."

He then continued on in his merciless destruction of her Submarine.

"Sink," Kagome said, before noticing his expectant look. She tilted her head questioningly and he sighed, as if it should have been obvious to her.

She soon caught on. "O-oh, right, different power levels and stuff. Hmm, well if we're talking a size 3 boat and take into account who I know..." Kagome was picturing her old group from the feudal era, and the different strengths they'd used to have.

"Then you just destroyed Sango!" She pretended to be scandalized. She felt that was the right level to assign Sango if Miroku was the size 4 Battleship, and Inuyasha the Aircraft carrier.

Sesshoumaru nodded, and this was the first thing that struck Kagome as odd. In this world Sango was only a gymnast and not a demon slayer, yet Sesshoumaru had accepted her answer as something perfectly normal.

There was other things that made her suspect something was up. The way he spoke of the lords, as if they were a current affair rather than something in the past. She kept trying to catch his eye and get him to say something obvious so that she could stop thinking she was crazy, but he simply continued the game.

She sank two more of his ships, one of them was his own representation. "Western Lord Sesshoumaru has sunk." He murmured, and Kagome looked at the size 4 Battleship.

"It might not be accurate but I think you're selling yourself short. Are you saying Lord Takeru could defeat your armies?"

His golden eyes flickered in amusement. "The size of ones army and influence means nothing in battle when I am your opponent."

Kagome felt her lips pull up into a smile, but again she noticed he spoke presently. When he hit her Aircraft Carrier she grit her teeth and whispered; "Damn."

Yet when the larger ship was destroyed and she assigned it Inuyasha's name, something sharp entered Sesshoumaru's eyes.

She blinked at his dark expression, and he frowned. "That is inaccurate."

Kagome rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Believe me it's not. In the group I've chosen Inuyasha's the strongest, Miroku's second."

The Daiyouki leaned back in his seat, a slight sneer touching his face. "And where do you place yourself in this arrangement?"

"Well...I'd maybe be forth, after Sango." Shippo was last.

She was amazed by the change in his counternance and very being. It was as if she'd insulted his father by the way which his eyes blazed, his lips in a thin, grim line.

"Ridiculous."

Kagome gave up, holding her hands up in exasperation. "All right then why don't you spell out for me whats so ridiculous about it and Mr. High and Mighty?"

"If you think of your group as a pack, Inuyasha would merely be the scout."

At those words, Kagome suddenly remembered a passage in the Inuyoukai book. It had been in the pack mentalities section; 'The scout is always at the front of the pack, and usually locates food, danger and lodgings. They are often mistaken as the leader of the group as they are first to approach outsiders and are usually outgoing and brash.'

She mulled over the words, turning them this way and that. It was true that sounded allot like what Inuyasha had done, but for so long she'd thought of him as the strength of the group.

"I guess I can kind of see where your coming from, but if that's the case then I suppose Miroku would-"

Sesshoumaru's youki flared to life angrily. "No."

She felt her blood boil in frustration as she glared at him. "Then who-"

"It is you, foolish girl."

At her genuinely stunned, confused look, his eyes narrowed before he closed them. Sighing, he gentled his youki and opened his solemn golden eyes. "True, perhaps you were not the most powerful in terms of physical strength, but you were the strongest miko in our time. A true leader does not cater to strength alone, they care for their pack, healing and providing for their physical needs. You also cared for emotional needs. The pack broke down without you."

It didn't escape Kagome's notice that they were past pretending they didn't remember. There was no doubt Sesshoumaru recalled all the events of the feudal era. True, she'd wanted this moment for a long time but the conversation kept her from feeling any joy.

"N-no, I wasn't nearly as talented as Sango or as smart as Miroku. Besides I was the shard detector, of course they couldn't do much without me. When the jewel was wished away it makes sense they settled down and spread out. The pack didn't brake down, it just...drifted apart."

The way he was looking at her made her heart race, and she both loved and hated that he could disarm her so easily. Yet he did so with five effortless words that rolled off his tongue like fine wine. "Because you were not there."

She felt her strength wane, and Kagome looked up at him with vulnerable eyes. He couldn't know how much she wanted to matter. In the feudal era she'd always felt like whatever she did wasn't enough, that surely someone else could contribute more. That thought had always been there whenever she'd seen Kikyo.

 _Surely,_  she'd thought, _the original is who they really need._  That's why she felt so excluded from the group once she'd gone back and not ended up with Inuyasha. The one thing she'd clung to throughout three years apart was that she'd be with him, but then, suddenly, and so easily...she wasn't.

Her dark fear that she didn't have a role to fill, a place to matter anymore, was being undone so effortlessly by the demon before her.

"Why is this so important to you?" She asked softly. Her cold fingers were fragile but her heart was yearning with want.

Sesshoumaru watched her through it all with hooded eyes as he spoke seriously. "It is important that you recognize your worth."

In that moment, the game fell away from Kagome completely, and it was just her and Sesshoumaru. Her heart was beating so fast, her chest flooding with a familiar warmth she tried to fight away and ignore. But a part of her locked this moment away in her memories to reflect on and cherish. She'd wanted to hear those words for so long from someone who'd been there, who'd lived through the battles that were being forgotten.

To distract herself from the feeling, she finally stated the obvious. "You remember." She breathed, something shaky in her heart.

His golden eyes burned brightly at the welcome change of happiness in her eyes. "Yes, this one remembers."

"When did you remember? Do you know how I could find Shippo or-"

"Careful, miko. As you humans say; The walls have ears. Some questions appear to trigger unfavorable consequences as I'm sure you've found."

Kagome thought about being imprisoned in her bedroom. "Yeah, I have." She swallowed thickly.

He nodded, eyes softening. "Then you know that it wouldn't matter if we had this conversation at another time. Something is always listening." Sesshoumaru leaned forward, his clawed hand resting on the table. "That is why I will now ask my favor of you."

Kagome's eyes widened as she too leaned forward, her heart racing in anticipation. "What do you want me to do?"

"It has come to my attention that you own a book on my kind. In it there should be a mating rite of passage about transforming together. It is a way for us to share a mental link for a short time."

"A-a mating rite?"

His face shut off all emotion at this. Kagome could only think of it as a defense mechanism. "If you don't wish to think of it that way then do not." He said quietly.

 _How will you think of it?_  She wanted to ask, but instead she blurted; "but transforming together? How would that work?"

"We will discuss the details later should you agree to it. The book will tell you more."

Kagome suddenly remembered. "That's right the book...there's pages missing around that area. I wonder if someone knew you'd want to try this and tore them out?"

"Hn, interesting..." Sesshoumaru's eyes unfocused for a moment, an unreadable expression crossing his face. He finally straightened and stood from his seat.

"At any rate, we will continue this later."

Kagome nodded and stood, following him to the door. Her heart fluttered when he turned back to her, leaning down slightly in a way that could be seen as intimate by an onlooker.

"One thing to bare in mind Kagome. This rite of passage is not something to be taken lightly. There is a strong possibility you may get hurt." He murmured, something raw in his eyes.

Kagome felt a thrill of fear race down her spine. If Sesshoumaru was worried, she was sure she had reason to be. None the less she nodded. "I understand, if it's too much then maybe we could find another way."

Though she suggested this Sesshoumaru could already see the stubborn set of her jaw. She wouldn't be backing down from this no matter what it was. The demon lord's aura gently merged with hers, his strength pushing away the fear and worry she'd been harboring all day.

"Thank you," she smiled, hoping he understood how much his words earlier had meant to her. He nodded and stepped back, his youki drawing into him as he turned and left.

_He said my name._

Smiling, Kagome turned back to the classroom and finally caught sight of the time. It was 1.00 pm.

That nagging feeling at the back of her mind that had been there all day exploded in an instant. Guilt swamped her as she remembered the presentation with Inuyasha. He'd been counting on her and she blew it.

At that moment, the hanyou rounded the corner, heading straight for her. Kagome quickly moved aside as he walked past, his expression foul. Just as he passed her, his burning golden eyes snapped to her face.

"I guess one thing was bound to slip through the cracks today in your busy schedule huh?" He said gruffly.

Kagome tried to apologize but he'd already disappeared down the hallway.

Feeling rotten, Kagome lifted a hand to her heart.  _I'm sorry Inuyasha._

She'd chosen his brother over him, and a part of her knew it was in more ways than one.


	18. The Rite of Passage

When Kagome had returned home that evening she'd been too tired to even concentrate on her food, much less a conversation. Yet she'd forcefully shaken herself awake and sat with Sesshoumaru in the living room.

She'd asked what the transformation rite involved, and Sesshoumaru's eyes had glowed in the fire light. "I will transform into my true form with you holding onto me. My youki would envelope both of us and should allow a mind link to be established. We may then speak freely in each others thoughts."

He explained that he'd been slowly subjecting her to his youki in order to make the transformation easier, should they try it.

"R-really? You must have had this planned for some time."

Sesshoumaru nodded, denying nothing but also not elaborating on when he'd decided to start doing this. Kagome thought for a moment before asking if there was any training she could go through to help them.

He'd denied this, saying that this would only work through instinct, not training. All he needed from her was her trust.

"I think I can do that," she'd smiled.

They agreed to try it the next morning, with Sesshoumaru going over some ground rules and possible dangers. Kagome listened as intently as she could, but was soon nodding off. The demon lord sent her upstairs to sleep, saying he would go through everything with her tomorrow.

As he was about to leave, Sesshoumaru noticed her hesitate as she bid goodnight to Inuyasha on the stairs.

He gruffly brushed past her, ignoring her words and rapidly changing the miko's scent from tired to guilty. Sesshoumaru watched them quietly, before turning away.

Later that night as Kagome slept, the Daiyouki went through the basic forms of sword play. Bakusaiga glowed a soft green as he concentrated on containing its power. A light breeze teased at the ends of his long hair as he moved with a fluid grace and lethal force that was only possible through years of vigorous training. Every night he worked on his form in the mansions garden. Some nights he'd noticed the miko peeking through the curtains to watch him, and something aside from cold control had bid his body to move.

He'd felt her awe and intrigue wash over him, and he took great pleasure in eliciting these emotions from her. Yet daily, he'd began to want more, to bring more emotions, more feelings out into her scent and expression.

Sesshoumaru missed a form, and he stopped, breathing heavily.

He could feel his control slipping.

"Should have known I'd find you here." A voice which caused an automatic sneer to touch Sesshoumaru's face, called out.

Sesshoumaru ignored him, moving into the form once more.

Inuyasha growled, crossing his arms as he cut to the chase. "What are you planning on doing with Kagome?"

Bakusaiga sang through the air. "Are you certain you wish to know?"

"Cut the crap. I got a pretty good idea from these-" The hanyou pulled some crumpled pieces of paper from his pockets, shaking them out as he held up a page. Sesshoumaru dryly thought that the mystery of the missing pages had been solved easier than expected. "They say her life could be threatened if you both continue on as you are. That stuff you two were talking about, the transformation, it says here your youki could seriously burn her."

Sesshoumaru paused and slid dark golden eyes to his half brother. "You removed those pages from the miko's book."

Inuyasha's ear's lay flat. "Feh, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Merely that instead of confronting me with this foolishness, you should have left the pages where they were and let the miko decide for herself if she wanted to do this."

There was a tense silence as Inuyasha glared at him, his hands balling into fists. "I was gonna give them back to her. I just want to know first off if your going to do right by her, actually consider her as a mate. Or are you just going to use her?"

Hot, white anger assaulted Sesshoumaru's blood steam, making it burn in his veins. The audacity of the hanyou never failed to infuriate him."This one would not insult her thus."

His fingers tightened around Bakusaiga."Tell me this, whelp; Are you giving warning to stay away from her?" He silently begged that he was, that way he could justify separating his sibling's head from his shoulders.

The hanyou looked away, his fist shaking at his side. "Keh, I aint her keeper."

 _Not anymore._  Sesshoumaru sneered, a slight bite in the air where his arm cleaved an arch with his sword. He knew if he had his memories back, Inuyasha would not let her go so easily. "Indeed, then this is none of your concern."

This finally moved Inuyasha into action as he unsheathed Tetsusaiga in an instant, flying at Sesshoumaru, who turned and blocked easily.

"You bastard! She might have messed up the project and cost me big time, but she's still my friend." Inuyasha snarled, their energies colliding and snapping in the air.

On another day, Sesshoumaru would have humored the hanyou's temper tantrum, but his patience ran thin. The prospect of burning Kagome was already ingrained in his mind, and Inuyasha's words taunted him over the edge.

Inuyasha looked up over their connected blades, and felt his eyes widen at the sight of Sesshoumaru's blood red eyes. The Daiyoukai threw him into the air with a sharp sweep of his sword, sending him to the ground.

Sesshoumaru's velvet voice was deathly calm and quiet. "The choice is Kagome's, should she decide to follow this through I will not turn her away."

Inuyasha wiped the dirt from his face, his eyes full of distrust. He eventually picked himself up and walked away in frustration, leaving the pages on the ground.

Sesshoumaru's claws bit into his hand, drawing blood. "You are still as wretchedly ignorant as ever little brother." He murmured, the breeze carrying his words away into the night.

Sensing the miko was awake, Sesshoumaru silently sheathed his sword and made for her bedroom. He'd meant what he said about letting her choose, and if she had more information it would lay his fears to rest that she was going into this unaware.

Kagome's eyes were weary with sleep when she opened her door. Her hair was ruffled and her tank top strap slid down on one shoulder. The demon lord stared, but Kagome didn't notice as she yawned. "Sesshoumaru, what-"

"Read these before joining me tomorrow." Was all he said, handing her the missing pages. She blinked in confusion but felt intrigue at the thought of discovering more about the transformation.

When she looked up to thank him, the Daiyoukai was gone.

OOO

With the morning came a sense of quiet expectancy. Somehow it felt like a tense calm before the storm. There were no birds, no bugs and no breeze to sing welcome to the new day, just a solemn hush.

Kagome awoke early, getting dressed quickly and having a light breakfast. When she opened the doors to the garden, Sesshoumaru was already there waiting for her.

Kagome approached him hesitantly, despite her firm resolve to see this through. The significance of the act wasn't lost on her, even if Sesshoumaru tried to downplay it.

He stood resolutely before her, basked in the soft sunlight of dawn. His mouth was pressed into a thin line, golden eyes intense and searching. Kagome knew he was looking for any sign that she might not be ready, but she refused to give him one. If this meant getting answers then she'd do it, and if Sesshoumaru didn't want to think of it as a mating rite of passage, then she'd strive not to either.

As she came to a stop infront of him, Kagome lifted her head, "I'm ready." She said softly.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head. "Then we will begin."

The miko took a breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. Sesshoumaru turned and began slowly pacing in a large circle around her. "Firstly miko, I will reiterate the ground rules."

Kagome nodded, having heard this last night. She noticed the youki that he was slowly releasing begin to cover the area he walked. "Under no circumstances are you to release any reiki while I transform." His voice was cold and steady, but it helped ground her.

"Alright." She flexed her fingers, reining in her powers when Sesshoumaru's youki began to dominate her.

"Another is that my youki will grow denser, sharper than what you've been used to. Despite this you mustn't feel fear while we do this or my instinct will be to remove you from my person."

Kagome nodded slowly, watching his expression turn deadly serious.

"Finally should the flames of my youki bring pain, or begin to burn you in any way you will let go of me immediately."

Sesshoumaru stopped in front of her once more, while Kagome could only stare at him wide eyed. He had told her the danger, but hadn't mentioned letting go. "But if we don't do this right the first time, the pages said we might not get a second chance. If I reject you then it'll have disastrous results on your instincts and trust towards me when in your other form."

She couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to push through any struggles they might have, especially if this might be a one time thing.

Sesshoumaru looked away, his eyes softening slightly. Kagome's heart skipped a beat when his hand reached out to cup her face, his fingers sliding into her hair behind her ear.

"If I burn you then that in itself is a sign that it would be futile to continue miko."

Her blue eyes met his burning golden ones. For the first time, she saw something she hadn't expected to find; Fear.

She understood now. They only had one shot at this because Sesshoumaru as pure instinct would know right off the bat if they were compatible or not, for the telepathic link or...anything more.

The book said that often dog demons who could shape-shift into humanoid forms got caught up in their logic and thoughts, rather than listen to their instincts. But those who thought they'd chosen the perfect mate sometimes got a nasty surprise when they found they weren't compatible through transforming together.

Kagome hadn't really understood those words until this moment, with Sesshoumaru looking down at her so intently, as if willing his instincts to accept her. She gazed up at him and felt herself relax under his touch, covering his hand with hers.

"I...I understand. I'll let go if it hurts."

Sesshoumaru's fingers tangled in her hair at the nape of her neck as he brought her closer, taking in her scent and letting it calm him. His beliefs about humans were coming back to torment him, and he could imagine his father was probably laughing in the netherworld.

How very ironic that the demon who had loathed humans and called them weak, was now silently demanding that a human be compatible with him. Sesshoumaru wrestled with the logic of the situation - That this needed to happen in order to establish a mind link. Yet another part of him wanted the mating rite to succeed for less noble reasons.

He felt her small hands grip the front of his shirt as Kagome rested her head against him. Sesshoumaru scented her worry and concern, and thoughtlessly rested his lips against her hair. Her heartbeat picked up, and his fingers curled in her hair. He didn't know if he had really accepted the possibility that she could be his mate in the future, but this ritual would show whether he should worry about pursuing her or not.

But deep down Sesshoumaru harbored a true, dark fear that he was too far gone to heed the results.

They broke apart silently and Kagome raised her head, telling him she was ready. Sesshoumaru nodded and turned away so that she was behind him. He then knelt to the ground, moving his long hair aside over his shoulder. He willed himself to feel control, to try and curb his instincts.

He heard her step forward and felt her hands rest on his shoulders. Sesshoumaru snorted, making her jump.

"You'll be holding onto me as I transform miko, you've seen my true height many times."

"Yeah, so?"

He glanced at her and smiled slightly. "Then I suggest a better grip." His clawed hand encircled her wrist and brought her arm around himself, and soon it was as if she were embracing him from behind. Kagome blushed at the close contact and rested her chin on his shoulder, her hand holding onto her other arm as she braced herself.

Sesshoumaru slowly coaxed his youki to flare to life, feeling Kagome's heartbeat thrum against his back. He stroked a thumb over her hand before releasing her.

Kagome felt his youki grow denser, heavier, until it pressed down upon her, like rain pelting her shoulders. The rain soon became an ocean, its stifling presence stealing her breath and making her lungs sing for air. The feeling became so tangible she began to see his red youki coating the air around them like crimson mist.

Everything started to feel sharp and static as Sesshoumarus hair was lifted up by a phantom wind, his clothes rustling in the strong gust. Kagome tightened her grip, her hair dancing to and fro.

Then the heat began. It started with the air currents getting stronger, a red wind swirling around the two, the rest of the world being blocked out as it lashed against them. The Love Meter blurred until it fell away completely. Sesshoumaru began to feel hot to the touch, as if a fire was growing from within. Kagome began to feel closed in as the wall of red youki engulfed them, the wind now feeling like embers prowling along her skin.

"If it helps, close your eyes." His voice startled her, it was a rasp of sound, more like a growl than words.

Kagome kept her eyes open though, and watched in fascination as his red eyes glowed, his bold markings growing larger as his human features elongated into that of a beasts. His skin became white silky fur under her fingers, and she felt him grow larger, his form lifting her up until her feet no longer touched the ground.

He then leaped up into the air in a burst of speed, his youki was now white hot flames that made Kagome open her mouth and gasp for air. Her palms were sweaty as she held on for dear life around his neck that was becoming larger still. His fur warmed her fingers, loosening their grip.

Despite herself, Kagome felt her heart stutter in fear at the sight of white flames looming close enough to touch. It became so difficult to breathe that she had no choice but to bring a hand to her face. Kagome covered her nose and mouth with the sleeve of her jumper, rivulets of hot tears carving a path down her cheeks.

The feeling of helplessness grew, and the flames only burned brighter, as if feeding off her worry. _I'm not afraid, I'm not, I'm-_

A sharp stinging sensation bit into her exposed wrist. Kagome winced, shuddering as she grit her teeth and hissed in pain. She wasn't giving up on this, even if Sesshoumaru had warned her to stop if she got hurt.

It was the fear of getting burned that frightened her, not Sesshoumaru himself.

Kagome closed her eyes and pressed her face into his fur, breathing in. She trusted Sesshoumaru, and fought to keep that feeling alight in her chest.  _He would never harm me on purpose, I know that._

She willed herself to calm down, to remember how safe she felt around him. This youki was his, she'd felt it before countless times. It was dark, intense, and sometimes frightening, but it was his. Her senses dulled until all she felt was him beneath her.

The pain fell away, and Kagome opened her eyes, feeling her wrist ache with the burn that was stretched across it.

She gave a startled yelp when her body suddenly slid down to just above his shoulder and quickly tightened her grip.

The inuyokai finally seemed to notice that he had company, as his red gaze shifted down to her. Kagome's heart leaped, and she gave a shaky smile.

The demon released a deafening roar, making her jump as his entire body shivered and quaked beneath her. He began to descend to the ground quickly, Kagome gripping his fur tightly as she felt herself lift into the air.

The flames danced past her, licking her face in an upward spiral. Curiously, while Kagome felt stiflingly hot, she felt none of the embers burn her even as they caught at her clothing.

She grit her teeth when he landed abruptly, knocking her into him. Sesshoumaru then turned his red eyes on her, a low growl escaping him as he seemed to sneer;  _"Human."_

Kagome blinked up at him, disorientated. Her confusion quickly cleared though when he gave another growl, revealing rows of sharp teeth.

_"Release me, human."_

His voice was that low rasp of sound she'd heard earlier, only this time it was in her head. It felt strange to hear him there.

"Sesshoumaru?"

His red eyes narrowed as his jaws opened wider, a familiar toxic smell burning Kagome's lungs. Poison dripped from his exposed teeth as he snarled.

Kagome felt a twinge of fear but quickly pushed it aside. "Hey that's enough of that, we're friends so there's no need to get-woah!"

The flames that had died down around them suddenly roared to life, dancing up Kagomes legs as Sesshoumaru's poison hissed and blackened the ground.

His voice was velvet wrapped in steel as he growled in her mind;  _"This one will never accept a human as his mate."_

Kagome steadied herself as he attempted to throw her off. The flames enveloped his form, the white embers flickering wildly.

_"Humans are weak."_

Kagome squinted through the fire, looking up at him. His dog form was difficult to read, but his face seemed set in a deep scowl.  _"Humans die easily."_  He growled hatefully.

Gripping his fur, Kagome frowned, giving a sharp tug as she glared up at him. "That's enough!" She yelled above the flames, her reiki sparking the air.

Sesshoumaru's true form snapped his gaze to her, his eyes suddenly alight.  _"A miko? Yes...this one remembers. This scent is familiar. I considered you as a prospect, but you are still unworthy."_

Kagome blushed before glaring at him. She tried not to let his words affect her, as after all this was Sesshoumaru as pure instinct and emotion. Perhaps it was because she'd gotten too close to him that he was lashing out at her.

 _Still, I'm not going to let you push me around._  "If I was weak you wouldn't have let me try this mating rite. And yeah I probably should be dead by now, thanks to demons like you and Inuyasha trying to kill me when we first meet."

She caught her breath, trying to calm herself. "And if I was unworthy I'd have been burned alive by your youki right? Well I'm still here, so what does that tell you?

The dog demon quieted, his gaze shifting to the burn on her wrist. Kagome looked away, feeling oddly ashamed. It was like she'd let him down for not trusting him implicitly.

She looked back at him thoughtfully. "Do you ever think that maybe you say that stuff because its easier for you? It's easier to hate us because it's out of centuries of habit?"

The fire slowly began to die down, none of the flames that touched Kagome burned or left a mark on her. Sesshoumaru frowned, a sneer touching his face as the poison began to lessen.

_"You know not of what you speak."_

Kagome felt no genuine hate from him, and his youki had thinned into a comforting warmth. His words said one thing but his aura told another story. ' _This one will never accept a human as his mate' huh? He's acting similar to how he was on Valentines._

She wondered if he was as frightened of change as she was, so falling back on old habits comforted him in his uncertainty. If he was seriously starting to consider her as a possible mate, it threatened his whole belief system.

"I don't think you really believe in what you're saying anymore. You haven't for a long time, not since you accepted Rin and protected Kohaku. Not since we all fought together to defeat Naraku." Kagome kept her gaze locked with his, even as he growled softly. A hush fell over them for a moment as light touched their eyes, the sun finally rising above the horizon.

The miko felt a chill run down her spine and adjusted her grip, climbing up his body to rest above his shoulder blades. "I'm not even here to claim you as a mate, I'm here to talk to you about the world we're in. You said you had information to give me."

Sesshoumaru's ears pricked, before he huffed. Kagome hid a smile as she ran a hand over his soft fur. "You remember now?" She said gently.

He turned his head to give her a side long glance, his voice now closer to his usual one.  _"Hn, it comes to mind. This one will show you what he has discovered."_

"Show me? You said you'd tell me-wah!" Kagome felt herself fall back as Sesshoumaru leaped up once more into the sky, his great paws stretched out in front of him. She quickly grabbed a fistful of fur to keep balance.

The fire fell away as they soared into the air, the world turning below them. Kagome noticed the Love Meter was back and hanging in mid-air next to Sesshoumaru again, but she ignored it for now. As she looked down at the buildings, her lips pulled up into a grin. A light, warm feeling bloomed in her chest as they rose higher towards the clouds.

_"Reach above you miko."_

Kagome blinked, hesitantly bringing her arms up. She wobbled slightly, hearing Sesshoumaru chuckle inside her mind.

She growled and reached her hands above her head. "Shut up jerk."

To her surprise, her hand met resistance when she arched higher. What looked like open sky above her shimmered at the contact, and Kagome let her hand trail along it, wondering why its power felt familiar.

"A force field." She murmured. She'd known the game was cut off from her world, but this was proof that they were being held prisoner here.

_"This one discovered that youki is being drained here, but this barrier was not crafted by demons as I thought."_

Kagome looked down at the silver dog demon, his fur dancing in the wind. His voice was quiet and deadly when he continued.

_"The barrier is made of reiki."_

A chill swept through her at those words. Was it possible a miko had created the game? Had imprisoned them? The thought had never even crossed her mind.

She lowered her hands until they rested on his back once more. Sesshoumaru stayed quiet, letting her gather her thoughts. The silence stretched on for some time, and for awhile he simply glided in the sky, going in a large circuit. He could feel where the force field rose before him without touching it, and felt annoyance curl within him. He hated being contained.

He felt her warm hand slide through his fur as she seemed to think out loud. "I don't think it's a dark miko. There's no evil aura or intent so far as I can tell. But why couldn't you just tell me this in your usual form?"

He spoke softly in her mind.  _"To show you that Naraku does not hold any power here, he is not behind our imprisonment. This one chose not to tell you as any information I've found I've kept to myself, to keep him, and the creator if they're watching us, in the dark."_

"That's why you didn't tell me right away that you remembered everything from the past." She supposed it didn't matter when exactly he'd remembered, but she asked anyway.

_"It was after you burned this one with your shield. My memories were dulled, but afterwards I began to take notice of the illusion. I assumed that I was in your time from the familiar uniforms."_

"Believe me, this isn't the future. The real Tokyo is allot bigger."

Sesshoumaru fell silent, before turning his head to glance at her.  _"I merely fail to understand what their intent is in keeping us here."_

His gaze stayed locked on her.  _"Do you know anything miko? Any events here always seem to lead back to you."_

Kagome chose her words carefully. "It...um, it's hard to explain but this place is kind of like a game. This world is the setting and I'm the main player. I woke up here and ever since then I've been getting messages telling me what to do and how to win. If I do win, they said they'd let us leave. I can't tell you everything because there's some rules in place, but I-"

 _"No one can hear us like this miko,"_  His eyes had sharpened with keen interest, making Kagome's heart race. Before she could make an excuse, his voice softened.

 _"However... if you feel it would compromise your success, I understand keeping it to yourself for now. "_  He cut in, sensing her hesitation and sting of fear. Kagome looked away, wringing her hands. Guilt weighed down on her once more, and she wondered if she should tell him the truth.

_"There is another who remembers."_

Her head snapped up at this, eyes trained on the back of his head. Sesshoumaru began to slowly descend from the sky.

_"The Kitsune. He awaits you at the orphanage. The tyke was adamant he speak only with you."_

"Shippo's waiting for me." She breathed, longing tugging at her heart. "That's right! I forgot to mention that Souten, Hiten and Naraku seem to have memories of the Feudal Era as well."

Sesshoumaru nodded, eyes narrowing.  _"From their scents, Inuyasha, The Kit, The Monk and The Wolf Prince with his mate are the same ones we knew from the past. Naraku and the others have an indistinguishable smell, but I have not met this 'Souten' yet."_

Kagome's eyes widened. "R-really? I hadn't thought that Koga, Ayame and Miroku were real."

He eventually touched down on the ground, in the middle of the street no less. _If this was really Tokyo we'd be causing mass hysteria and traffic jams._  Kagome thought, still reeling from his words. The people walking by didn't blink twice at the sight of the dog demon.

Kagome made to slide down his side, but her wrist ached in protest when she tried to climb off. Sesshoumaru silently lowered himself to the ground, watching as she winced, gripping her wrist as she got off.

_"You have walked past the entrance to the orphanage many times without seeing it."_

"I have? Is this the street its on?" Kagome walked around curiously, only seeing buildings tightly pressed together.

 _"Hn, it is right in front of you."_  The inuyokai stood once more, secretly reveling in being in his true form after so long. Sesshoumaru knew it had taken a toll using so much youki to transform though. He'd been careful not to use much since discovering this prison was draining him daily, but he assured himself the transformation had been necessary.

He stretched out and allowed himself to bask in the miko's scent for a moment before sighing slightly.  _"This Sesshoumaru will return to his other form."_

Kagome turned back to him in surprise. "Are you sure?"

His tail swished in an agitated fashion, and Kagome smiled, walking over to him. "Alright, its probably for the best. You're using allot of youki."

_"Miko, we may speak without consequence like this. Are you certain there is nothing else you wish to tell me before I change back?"_

She started at those words, her hands automatically turning into loose fists. Kagome tried to keep her expression neutral as she gazed up at the dog demon, but it seemed impossible to hide anything from those crimson eyes. He held himself unnaturally still as he searched her scent, her eyes, anything that might give her away.

"No, nothing else right now anyway." She said tonelessly.

Her heartbeat thrummed in his ears, and just for a moment Sesshoumaru caught sight of something worn and afraid in her expression. A guilty feeling always seemed to cling to her whenever he tried to read her, and along with it came a strong sense of loneliness.

As always, Sesshoumaru acted as if he hadn't seen her guilt. Whatever it was she was hiding from him, she carried around with her, and something told him it made her ill to keep it in.

He would find out what it was one day, but not now.

 _"Very well."_  He was about to turn away when he felt her small hand on his paw.

Kagome smiled as she touched his fur. "Thanks for the flight."

Sesshoumaru's ears pricked before he turned away, not quite able to ignore the satisfied feeling that flooded his chest at those words.

His youki spread out once more, whipping Kagome's hair back from her face. A red swarm of flames slowly built up around him until he was completely hidden from view. With a burst of speed, the red flames darted up into the sky, before falling back into the earth.

The red mist drifted back as Sesshoumaru stepped forward, in his humanoid form once more and fully clothed. His long silver hair danced in the breeze as he pulled his youki back. His sharp golden eyes locked on Kagome instantly.

She shivered and tugged her sleeve down, hiding her wrist from view.

He didn't look like a dog demon now, but he was still so otherworldly that Kagome could never think of him as human even if he looked closer to one in this form. She smiled as he walked towards her, but it fell from her lips when she noticed the worn and slightly stern expression he wore.

"Sesshoumaru? Is everything alright?"

As he came closer his gaze shifted to her concealed wrist. Kagme stood awkwardly under his scrutiny, hoping he would ignore it.

She soon found his hand on her arm, lifting it up as he carefully peeled back her sleeve. The burn had scorched across her wrist, and pulsed with a sore pain that made her wince. Kagome found it looked similar to his own wrist markings.

Sesshoumaru stared at the damaged flesh with a dark expression. "You foolish girl. Why did you not let go as I instructed?"

She tried to pull herself free but to no avail. "Look you don't have to lecture me, I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to this."

"Hn, and now you will have a reminder." He looked up at her instead of the burn and tried to control his emotions. It was difficult though, he was still somewhat drained from his transformation and the scent of her distress was playing havoc with his senses.

Anger gripped him fiercely at the thought that he'd damaged her because of a lack of control. While transformed he was mostly powerless to control his youki, but he should have done more, should have prepared more for it. If the blaze had been just a touch different, it could have done worse to her.

"You don't have to get angry, it worked. We managed to talk freely and make some sense of everything, so we're alright now, aren't we?"

Sesshoumaru glanced up at her sharply, saying nothing. Kagome felt her heart jump in panic. She remembered the Love Meter, and quickly looked at it. The level hadn't moved yet.

She tried to make sense of her jumbled emotions by talking, but only felt herself getting more worked up. "What does it mean? That I got burned but then your youki didn't harm me afterwards? I only got hurt because I got scared at one point, but when I calmed myself down I felt the pain go away. The flames passed over me after that."

He released her wrist and Kagome took a few steps back, rambling. "I'm sorry I lost control, I just couldn't breathe and..."

She trailed off as Sesshoumaru was suddenly right in front of her, his eyes flashing. Before she could react, he reached out to snag her chin. "Do not apologize for this miko." He rumbled, fingers lightly forcing her to look up at him. "You are not at fault. The blame lies with me."

Kagome's eyes widened at the sternness of his voice, the raw emotion in his eyes. A bubble of hopeful excitement curled in her chest at his touch, replacing the flutter of panic she'd felt just a moment ago. Sesshoumaru stared at her for a long moment, before picking up on the change in her scent.

He told himself to ignore it, to focus on the matter at hand, but he was too intrigued by it. The miko was such an innocent creature, but times like these he glimpsed something close to desire her eyes.

His own eyes burned with an unbroken intensity that made her want to shudder. His fingers abandoned her chin to brush lightly against her cheek. There was something oddly cautious in his expression as he asked softly; "Why did you not let go?"

She blushed under his gaze, her heart pounding as she tried to find the right words. She swallowed and gazed up at him, answering honestly. "I don't give up on whats important to me." She breathed.

Sesshoumaru stilled, and she could feel the weight of his gaze.

Kagome smiled. "I trust you Sesshoumaru, I knew you didn't want to hurt me. It just took me a second to remember, what with all the fire distracting me."

His eyes glowed, as if embers sparked within them. He seemed transfixed for a moment, and Kagome felt her face heat up. Belatedly she realized his Love Meter had risen past the blue marker. "Plus, you know...I'm pretty stubborn." She added, smiling.

He seemed to come back to himself as he straightened slightly, banishing the thoughts that plagued him for now. "Hn."

"So um, what does this mean?" She gestured to her burn.

Some tension left his shoulders, as if he were finally at peace with something and not knowing what. Kagome liked the warmth in his eyes.

Sesshoumaru's lips lifted slightly. "It means we have an unorthodox method of doing things, but that is not so unusual for us."

She grinned, butterflies dancing in her stomach. She was about to say more when she noticed a change had happened to the street. Where before buildings were all pressed together in one neat line, there was now an open street. It lead out towards a large white house with blue rooftops.

"I-is that the orphanage?" She breathed, barely believing her eyes.

His gaze shifted back to her questioningly. "You can see it?"

"Y-yeah! It's right there, the big blue and white house right?" Excitement gripped her so fiercely she was frozen on the spot.

Sesshoumaru nodded, easily turning her so that she began walking. Kagome barely noticed, so lost in her own thoughts and mixed emotions. "I cant wait to see Shippo again," she murmured.

Kagome didn't see the demon lords eyes cloud over with dark concern.


	19. The Orphanage

When they rang the doorbell and no one answered, Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru questioningly. But the demon lord seemed content to wait, and after a minute or so, a familiar face opened the door.

"Kaede?" Kagome looked at the older woman in surprise.

She blinked back at Kagome, no recognition in her single eye. "Yes, who might ye be?"

Before she could respond, Kaede turned to Sesshoumaru, narrowing her eye at him. "Ah, Mr. Taisho. A friend of yours?"

Sesshoumaru almost sighed in annoyance at the old woman's suspicious nature. "Hn, this is Kagome Higurashi, she is also a friend of Shippo's. He is expecting her."

"Strange, I've never heard of ye before." She grumbled to herself, before opening the door wider and stepping aside for them. As Kagome passed her, the elder miko spoke up once more.

"Ye can find Shippo in the garden, perhaps your company can lift his spirits. The little one has been awfully tired lately, almost as if the spark had been taken out of him."

A tight, heavy feeling grasped Kagome's heart. The excitement and happiness she'd felt just moments before melted into an uncomfortable weight at the pit of her stomach. Sesshoumaru continued down the hallway, picking up on her change in scent. He kept his thoughts to himself however, knowing that any assurances he gave her would be lies at this point.

They walked through a large, open living room, where many children laughed and played together. Kagome didn't recognize any of them as her eyes swept over them carefully. Her gaze finally rested on a girl that was sprawled on her stomach, colouring on a piece of paper in front of her.

"Rin?" Kagome breathed, stopping dead in her tracks.

Sesshoumaru didn't spare her a glance. "Do not be deceived. She is not real." He murmured, walking to a door that led out into the garden.

Kagome's brows pulled together at his hollow sounding words. Sesshoumaru definitely missed his ward, but she knew he must be relieved that Rin wasn't here in this world.

She followed him out into the lush, green garden while a few of the children gave them curious looks.

Sesshoumaru stopped, his gaze fixed ahead. Kagome walked around him, her eyes immediately finding the fox kit. He was sat beneath a tree, a large book resting before him. When he glanced up to look at her, Kagome's heart lurched, and she wasn't aware they'd moved until he was suddenly in her arms.

Shippo gave a cry, shaking as he clutched at her clothes, burying his face in her shoulder. Kagome held him close, her fingers brushing against his hair.

She'd been worried, restless at the thought of him being in the game too. But Shippo was shaking so violently, and crying such deep, ragged sobs that Kagome feared he'd been more frightened than she'd thought.

"Hey, shh, it's alright now Shippo, I'm here. I'm here." She ran her hand over his back to try and soothe him, but Shippo just whimpered, his fingers tightening in her clothes.

"I-I know, that's the problem."

Kagome blinked, adjusting him in her arms to try and look at him. "What do you mea-" The fox kit had pulled away, and once she'd really looked at him Kagome found the words caught in her throat.

He was pale, a sickly white pallor colouring his usually warm face. A slight sheen of sweat dampened his forehead, and his eyes looked worn and tired. Even his usual shock of bright red hair now seemed dull, lifeless.

"Shippo, are you okay?" She put a hand to his forehead, before exclaiming; "You have a fever! Let me get you some water, or a-"

"Won't...work." Shippo mumbled, shuddering in her arms. He seemed like he was about to faint, and Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru desperately.

"What does he mean? What should I do?" Kagome said, panic etched into her voice.

Sesshoumaru stepped forward, his eyes sharp. "He means the barrier. It has drained him of too much youki. Give him to me miko."

She quickly placed the small kitsune in his arms, her fingers shaking as she clutched them together. Sesshoumaru seated himself on the ground gracefully. "This one thought that the boy would last some time before the barrier drained him to this extent. Seems I will need to do this earlier than planned."

 _Do what?_  Kagome was about to ask, before the answer was shown to her.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, his large clawed hand resting on Shippo's forehead as the other supported his weight. A familiar brush of youki swept into the air, rustling Kagome's clothes and hair. The youki then narrowed and thinned until it directed itself towards Shippo. The kitsune's brows creased as his eyes fell shut, the red swirl of youki flowing into him.

Kagome bit her lip as Shippo began to squirm, obviously uncomfortable with the intense energy. Sesshoumaru's lip lifted in irritation, about to growl to the tyke to stay still, but a calming presence drew near. Kagome knelt next to them and whispered assurances, her hands folded in her lap to resist the urge to touch them. She felt like she'd brake whatever was happening by interfering.

Shippo slowly quieted at her words, and the stream of red youki flowing into him strengthened. Kagome watched in fascination as his face brightened with colour again. The pinched look of tiredness left his expression, and even his hair began to glow with health. She raised her gaze to Sesshoumaru, whose eyes had slid open to watch her.

Kagome felt something stir in her heart under his intense, searching gaze. A strong pull urged her to towards him, but she stayed rooted in place. She felt something wet slide down her face and raised her hand, touching the tears on her cheeks in confusion. She hadn't realized she'd been crying.

The youki finally pulled away, settling back into Sesshoumaru. Shippo's eyes opened slowly, blinking up at the imposing demon lord.

"Th-thanks." Shippo breathed, intimidated and awed at the same time. Kagome felt her shoulders relax in relief.

Sesshoumaru said nothing as he released the kit, but a single nod of his head showed he accepted the gratitude. He then rose to his feet, turning away from them.

"This Sesshoumaru will leave you to discuss what you wish in peace. Come to me when you're finished, or if it is urgent miko." His tone was clipped and serious.

With that said, the demon lord strode away to the far end of the large garden. A tree stood tall at the edge of it, and Sesshoumaru stepped into its shade, disappearing behind the truck and out of sight.

Kagome stood up, glancing down at Shippo. "Stay here for a second okay? I'll be back soon."

"But you heard him Kagome, he wants to be left alone right? He just transferred allot of youki to me, he probably needs to recover." His worried green eyes blinked up at her.

Kagome shook her head, not entirely understanding how he'd transferred his youki into the kit but brushing it off for now. A tight sting of longing and concern pulled her forwards. "He also just transformed into his other form and flew us across the city. He needs to do more than recover. I have to make sure he's alright."

She smiled to try and make him feel better, and promised to be as quick as she could. Kagome knew she should focus on asking Shippo questions about the game, but every part of her rebelled against the idea of leaving Sesshoumaru alone without checking on him first. Whatever it was he'd done, he'd saved Shippo, that much was certain.

As she approached, she began to sense that was disturbing the quiet. The edge of the garden was so calming and peaceful that her footsteps sounded too loud in the silence. Kagome stepped under the shade of the tree and walked around its trunk, finding the demon lord.

He sat against the tree, his head tilted back and eyes shut. Kagome noticed with alarm that he now looked paler and just as tired as Shippo had earlier. As her feet brought her closer, his golden eyes slid open.

At his irritated look, Kagome frowned. "Look I wanted to check on you, sue me. I'll be out of your hair before you know it so just humor me alright?"

Sesshoumaru sighed, his eyes sliding shut once more. "Foolish girl."

Kagome bit her lip and sat on her knees next to him, that same fear she'd felt for Shippo just moments before began to surface again. At his frown, she quickly tried to think about something else, since she knew her scent must be telling him what she was feeling.

"I...I didn't know demons could transfer their youki." Kagome winced, that wasn't even close to what she'd wanted to say.

She cleared her throat, trying again. "I mean, thank you so much for doing that for Shippo."

"Hn, it was necessary." His eyes remained closed, and even while resting he still looked as pristine as ever.

But Kagome could see the cracks beginning to show, in his pale skin and the deepening lines around his eyes. Emotion chocked her, and she had to swallow before saying; "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here with me."

She suddenly felt his mortality so keenly it pained her. He may be a Daiyoukai, one that could live thousands of years, but he wasn't immortal. Sesshoumaru had always been an indomitable force of strength and power in her eyes, but there he lay, looking drained and somehow vulnerable.

His eyes opened, and she understood at once the reason why he'd walked away to rest. He hadn't wanted her to see him looking like this. Looking weak. She felt like she was interfering.

"I'm sorry, I just...is there anything I can do to help?"

He huffed, somehow amused despite the situation. "There is nothing miko, do not fret. This one needs rest, but I will join you soon."

Kagome looked away, her hands tightening into fists. "I wish I could give you youki too."

He shifted slightly, golden eyes intent on her face. "I am immensely glad you cannot. If you were a demon you would be just as liable to be drained as the rest of us."

She smiled shakily, looking up at him. The air rushed out of her lungs as she exhaled, trying to calm herself. Sesshoumaru felt a heaviness in his body that made movement feel sluggish and unnatural. None the less, he put his hand over hers.

"The kit was not in danger, he would have lasted many days without my interference. I merely did what was best."

Kagome searched his gaze, anxiety sweeping through her. "And what about you?"

His hand tightened on hers. "This one will be fine."

Kagome nodded slowly, grateful for his quiet reassurances. It didn't feel like he was lying to her. "You'd better be."

She squeezed his hand, and rose to her knees. Sesshoumaru expected her to stand and leave, so when she instead shifted closer his thoughts ground to a halt.

Kagome hesitated, blushing, before leaning forward. She felt intimidated by his still form and the raw power that clung to him like a second skin even in his weakened state. But gratitude welled up in her chest, overtaking her hesitation and filling her with a fragile warmth. She couldn't put into words how thankful she was that he'd helped Shippo, had helped her, but she tried her best to show it in a way he wouldn't brush off.

Her eyes stayed locked with his until she closed them, leaning forward and kissing his striped cheek softly. Her hand left his, and instead found his shoulder as she steadied herself. Sesshoumaru's heart picked up speed as he froze. He tried to pry his thoughts from where they immediately flew. Long fingers twitched with the impulse to grab her wrist and drag her lips from his cheek to his own.

When she pulled away, her warm breath dusted across his cheek, making his blood ignite in his veins.

Sesshoumaru's eyes found hers as his lips quirked. "I do not believe that was a demonic gesture."

Kagome smiled, blushing. "No, it was a human one. I'm saying 'thank you,' and its not just for what you did earlier."

"Hn..." The demon lords gaze swept over her as she rose.

Kagome finally turned to leave, but his voice halted her. "Kagome."

When she looked back at him, she found his eyes had lost their gentle warmth. "Since you will be speaking openly with the kit be mindful of your surroundings. As I am now, I am not certain I could detect Naraku or the Thunder Demon."

A faint sense of alarm fell over her as she nodded slowly. When she walked away, she turned back just once to glance at him, and found that his eyes had already drifted shut.

 _Sesshoumaru never admits out loud that he has a problem._  She thought worriedly, heading back to Shippo.

OOO

Shippo sat on a garden bench near the house awaiting Kagome's return. His small legs hung over its side, drifting back and forth as he bit his lip and frowned anxiously. When she approached, he looked up, wanting to say how much he'd missed her and how scared he'd been, but he knew she deserved more than that.

Instead, he gave a wry smile that looked too old to be on his boyish face. "I'm surprised, I didn't think you'd pick Sesshoumaru."

He waited. Kagome blinked once, twice, before her expression slowly shut off. "What?"

Shippo's heart twisted with shame. "I figured you'd pick another guy while in here."

"H-how do you know about that?"

The fox kit looked away guiltily, and Kagome's heart skipped a beat. "S-shippo? No...your not seriously going to tell me you're involved in this are you? You didn't make this g-"

Shippo sprang to his feet on the bench, tears in his eyes. "No! I-I didn't make it Kagome, honest I didn't! I just kind of set everything up, but I didn't mean for everything to turn out this way, I promise!"

Kagome watched as he breathed deeply, his eyes swimming with tears. She stood frozen, unsure what to say. Out of everything she expected to happen today, Shippo admitting he had something to do with game was not one of them. In her head she'd built up this expectation that the creator of the game was this nasty, evil guy.  _Not...not this._

She fought the urge to console him, her expression darkening as she crossed her arms. "Start talking. I want an explanation,  _now_."

Shippo nodded glumly, sighing as he sat back down on the bench. He'd knew he'd have to explain this when he saw her again, and while it needed to be said, he dreaded her reaction.

"O-okay." He took a breath. "It all started when Kohaku came to visit the village."

_Flashback~_

Rin giggled as she placed a flower wreath atop Shippo's head, who squirmed, laughing. Nearby, Kohaku practiced with his Kusarigama, swiping it at several targets.

Sango had been happy to see her brother again, and was currently making dinner with Kirara on her shoulder inside. Shippo glanced at the hut as they sat on the grass some distance away, smelling the food. His stomach rumbled, and Rin laughed before looking at the older boy.

"Hey Kohaku, why don't you come sit with us?"

Kohaku paused and smiled shyly. "If I do, you'll just put flowers in my hair."

Rin smiled and shook her head. "I promise I wont, please come sit down. We haven't seen you in so long, I'm sure you have so many adventures to share with us."

He sighed, and unable to resist Rins pleading gaze, he joined them. "I don't really have much to share, I've mostly been spending time at the demon slayers old dwelling." His brown eyes became haunted and sad, the same they always did when he mentioned his home or family.

Rin furrowed her brow and placed her hand on his arm. Shippo awkwardly tried to clear the air. "So um, you didn't find any magic scrolls or enchanted weapons while you were gone?"

Kohaku blinked, brightening somewhat. "Actually, I forgot to tell you guys but I found this-" He fished in his pocket a moment, before bringing out a small round object.

Shippo snorted. "A marble? We're not little kids Kohaku."

The older boy shook his head. "Its not like that. I remember my father telling me about this, its enchanted, a really powerful weapon mikos and priests can use. It traps demons inside and shows them an illusion of their wishes, kind of like the shikon jewel. If a holy man or woman take control of it, they can shape the illusion and even transport themselves in or out of the marble itself."

Shippo blinked, intrigued. He'd been spending time with a kitsune master Totosai was friends with, and the older fox had urged him to take control of illusions. They could open peoples eyes to what they really wanted.

"So could it show the miko's true wishes? What she really wants?"

Kohaku thought for a moment. "I think so, the way it works is the miko or priest is the host of the marble. The marble takes allot of their reiki to trap the demons inside and fuel the illusions. While inside, the demons youki is slowly drained. It was used to get information out of demons, or sometimes kill them if the miko left them inside too long."

He looked at the small blue marble in his hand. "I thought we'd lost it in a raid but I'm glad I managed to find it again, maybe Kagome could use it."

Shippo was lost in his thoughts. "Yeah...maybe she could use it."

Rin blinked, and looked at him questioningly. Shippo caught her concerned gaze and laughed weakly. "H-hey Rin, can I talk to you for a second?"

She nodded slowly and said an apology to Kohaku, who just waved it off, going back to his targets.

The two children walked away until they stopped under the shade of a tree. "Whats wrong Shippo?" Rin said, looking worried.

"Nothing, don't you see Rin? We finally have a way of making Kagome happy!" Shippo exclaimed, bouncing up and down.

"Huh? How?"

"This-" Shippo brought out Kagome's book that she'd left there, it was called 'Mocking Moon' and read like some weird romance novel. In Shippo's opinion it was about a harem. "This is what she's been obsessed with lately, she hardly spends time with us anymore. And its all Inuyasha's fault. If he'd just married her after she came back, Kagome wouldn't keep going to her time, she'd stay here with us."

"Yes but-"

"She doesn't know what she wants, but this illusion thing could open her eyes. She once read a human book to me about a sorcerer who looked into a mirror that showed peoples innermost desires, and he saw his parents, while another saw fame. This illusion thing is the same, it could bring her back to me-us."

Shippo began to run out of steam, his sparkling eyes dulling as he looked down. "I think she's lonely, and I don't blame her. If a guy is what she needs to come back here, then we should let her use the marble and show her that she could be happy here in the feudal era."

Rin tilted her head to the side. "So you want to...rig the marble? Instead of it showing her inner desire, it'll show her men?"

"Made up guys from this era. Her illusions will do the work if we just steer her mind to this book, this weird otome game stuff. It'll make guys from this time, and once she spends time with them, she'll see she can find one here and not leave."

Rin thought to herself, wrestling with her conscious. She missed Kagome too, and had thought herself that maybe a relationship would keep her in this era. But Rin had also long suspected a growing attachment between her and someone else.

"She could control it, correct? Transport herself out of the marble when she wanted?"

Shippo grinned. "You heard Kohaku, mikos control its power. Its perfect. She'll get some perspective and then zap herself out."

"What about other demons? Like...could she transport a demon that was with her out of the marble too?"

"I um...guess so?"

Rin fiddled with her fingers. "Then maybe we could find a way for Lord Sesshoumaru to join her inside the marble."

Shippo stared at her. "You're kidding right?"

The little girl blushed, smoothing out the wrinkles of her kimono. "N-no. I've been watching my lord when he's near her, he acts differently around her. I can tell he respects her at least, and she'd be good for him. If they spent some time together alone, I'm sure they'd bond."

The fox kit sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I dunno Rin..."

Her large brown eyes implored him to give in, but Shippo had his doubts. Making Kagome use the marble was one thing, making it a dating scenario was another, but putting Sesshoumaru in the mix? He worried it wouldn't work.

But Rin's eyes began to water, and Shippo heaved a heavy breath. "We'll have to ask Kohaku how mikos used to trap demons in the marble. I doubt that tiny thing could hold Sesshoumaru inside it but maybe its worth a shot if you think it'll work."

Rin squealed and hugged Shippo, who rolled his eyes. When she pulled away, she grinned. "Kohaku said that the miko is the host right? It's her reiki that makes the marble work. I think the stronger the miko, the stronger the marble is. And if Kagome's the host, I'm pretty sure it could work, she's a powerful priestess."

Shippo turned and began walking back to the hut. "I guess that could make them a good match, but we're still making it a dating illusion so that she has a choice of guys. It wont just be them two spending time together. Then when she picks a guy, she could come out of the marble."

Rin followed him, thoughtful. "But what if she doesn't like any of the men?"

Shippo stopped, his bravado suddenly lost. "Well, I'm sure she could just zap herself out of there anyway by will."

"Are you sure about this?" The little girl put her hand on his shoulder, she knew how much the older girl meant to him.

A gust of wind picked up, carrying the wreath of flowers away from atop Rin's head. The crown flew up into the air, and Shippo watched as it disappeared out of sight. "We have to do something. If we don't, I'm scared she won't come back one day. Then the well will close just like last time."

Rin nodded looking at the book in Shippo's hands. As he met her gaze, the two children made a silent pact.

_End Flashback~_

Kagome stared ahead of her, when she'd sat down on the bench beside Shippo, she didn't know. The fox kit lapsed into silence, looking up at her with a fretful gaze. He knew what he'd done was wrong, even if it had been with good intentions.

He heard a sigh, and glanced up at her. Kagome had put a hand to her head, and Shippo swiftly sat up. "Kagome?"

"That reiki barrier up in the sky, the one that's keeping us in, draining all my friends...is mine?" Her voice cracked.

The sound of the fake children playing nearby seemed so far away as she wrestled with the different emotions she was feeling. She kept picturing Sesshoumaru's burn, Inuyasha's bruise, Shippo's pale skin. All of their tired eyes and lacking energy was from her, because of her power.

She was aware of Shippo holding his small hands miserably. She'd always thought of him as a child, and he was, but he was also a kitsune, and in some ways older than her. He'd played tricks before but nothing as manipulative as this. Perhaps it was in his fox nature to do this, but she could only see a child who knew he'd done wrong before her.

"All this time...you were worried about me. Enough to do this?" Her blue eyes warmed with sadness. Shippo swallowed and gave her a shaky smile, guilt in his eyes.

Kagome shook her head. "Don't get me wrong though, what you've done is serious and stupid. Not to mention dangerous. You've put me, Sesshoumaru, and heck Miroku, Inuyasha, Koga and Ayame in danger."

She glanced down at him in confusion. "But if Sesshoumaru was meant to be here, why are they in the marble too? And why cant I just 'zap us out' as you said?"

Shippo sighed heavily. "That's where things get complicated."

He glanced up at the sky. "That night, Kohaku showed the marble to Sango and Miroku. I was worried it had chosen Miroku as its host, since he's a priest, but Kohaku said the marble chose the strongest spiritual user it came across as its master. The night after, Koga and Ayame came to visit, but they were only passing through for the night." He shook his head, staring at the ground.

"There was a fight with a demon outside the village. Inuyasha had used his sword, and Miroku his spiritual powers. Even Koga and Ayame had helped."

Kagome watched as he took a breath, sounding more serious and mature than she'd ever heard him. "The marble...it absorbed some of their youki. It was in Kohaku's pocket as he fought. He told me that in order to trap a demon inside the marble, it needed to absorb some of that demons power beforehand. Once the priest or miko awakened it, the marble would be able to call the demon to it, before trapping it inside. When I heard that, I figured it would only trap a demon it had come across a few hours earlier, but I was wrong."

Shippo turned to her, "I'm guessing the last thing you remember is going home to your time?"

"I remember falling asleep there, yeah. When I woke up, I was here."

"Well...you kind of came back before you went inside the marble."

 _Flashback~_  (After Kagome went home in chapter 2)

"You were amazing Rin, your acting was spot on. She didn't suspect a thing!" Shippo laughed, watching as Rin picked fresh herbs from the forest.

Rin smiled gently. "You were great too Shippo. You managed to make both Kagome and Lord Sesshoumaru use their powers in front of the marble. Now we just have to wait, right?"

"Yeah, it shouldn't take too long for it to absorb some of her reiki. Then when it has enough it'll start working." He beamed, thinking that soon Kagome would be living in the feudal era permanently. He felt bad for stealing the marble from Kohaku, but he wanted Kagome to be happy more than anything.

It was fairly late in the day, the sun had set and the sky was quickly darkening. Rin picked up her basket of herbs and started walking towards Kaede's hut. "I hope I got her to think about the otome game enough so that it'll affect the marble's illusion."

Shippo nodded, scratching his nose. "Me too, but I think it worked. I wonder what Kaede has planned for supper."

Rin shrugged and Shippo followed as she entered the hut.

Several hours later, Shippo woke up in the night. He sensed something near by, a familiar scent. He cautiously crept away from the hut and into the forest, where he found someone waiting for him.

"Souten? What are you doing here?" He asked, confused at the sight of the thunder demon.

Souten walked forward, blushing slightly and looking away. Shippo rose a brow as she fumbled with her hands, before growing frustrated and throwing them to her sides. "I came to visit a few days ago but...I heard you talking about the marble."

Shippo shifted, unsure where she was going with this.

Souten finally looked up, determination in her eyes. "My brother told me about it before he died, what it can do. I want to go inside it too."

"What? No! Why do you want to do that?"

The little girls red eyes glowed in the dark shadows. "Think about it Shippo, we could see our families again, I could see my brothers. Don't you want your father back?"

Shippo took a step away, his thoughts heavy. "No, I don't, because he wouldn't really be back Souten. It's magic, it's not real."

She shook her head and stamped her foot. "It would be real to me! That's all that matters. If you won't help me then I'll do it myself, I don't want to be alone anymore. I want them back, and if this is a way I can see them I'm going to use it."

Shippo wanted to say more but he suddenly felt an enormous pull dragging him forward, literally moving his legs into motion. He yelped and struggled, panicking. "W-whats going on?"

"It's Kagome, she must have come back, and from the looks of it the marble has enough of her reiki." Souten blinked, before quickly running on into the forest.

Shippo gaped. "Wait!"

He followed, the unknown pull of energy bidding he run faster. Pushing through the bushes, he ran until he came to the clearing of the Bone-Eaters Well.

Kagome stood infront of the well, holding something that was glowing red. When she saw Shippo, she waved him over. "Hey Shippo! Sorry I came back late."

She looked at the marble in her hand questioningly. "This thing started glowing and it woke me up. I don't know what it is but I found it earlier, it felt like it was pulling me to the well so I followed it here. Can you go and get Miroku for me? Maybe he'll know what to do with it."

At that moment, Souten stepped through the bushes, releasing her youki aura. Kagome blinked in confusion. "Souten?"

Shippo watched as more demons stepped out from the forest, several of them cursing loudly into the night. Inuyasha was one of them. "What the heck is going on Kagome? What the hell is that and why am I being pulled towards it?"

"Hey that's what I wanna know Dog Breath! Whatever this is its got nothing to do with me and my girl." Koga snarled as he and Ayame held onto each other, something unknown bidding them to walk forward.

Kagome looked at the marble in her hand uncertainly, watching as Miroku stepped out of the forest. He looked at her in alarm. "Lady Kagome! Where did you find that? Y-you need to shut it off at once!"

Her eyes widened as a strong breeze began to pick up, flowing into the glowing marble. "How the heck do I do that?" She yelled.

Miroku struggled against the wind that now lashed against his clothes, digging his staff into the ground. Inuyasha held onto a nearby tree as Koga and Ayame fell to the ground.

Shippo looked on as Kagome tried to throw it away, but the marble stuck to her hand like glue. She panicked, looking around desperately, and finding Sesshoumaru standing in the clearing as well.

She gestured to her hand, "I don't know what to do, I cant shut it off!"

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes narrowed as they locked on the marble. "It appears to be using your reiki miko, if it is your power doing this, then reclaim it as your own. Control it."

Shippo watched helplessly as Kagome tried to reign in her powers, but nothing seemed to work. The fox kit looked at the others.  _I didn't want this, this is wrong. And why are they all here? The marble. Using Kagome, it must have so much power that it can call this many demons to it after absorbing their youki. I guess Miroku's here as a backup reiki user._

He saw a few lesser demons step into the clearing aswell, among them was an Unmother.

Kagome cried out, and his attention was back on her as his eyes widened in horror. Her hand that was gripping the marble had disappeared, the red light starting to swallow her form.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried.

Kagome looked behind her at the well, and then back at her friends. "I-its ok, if I go through the well, it might only take me."

"Fuck no! You're not going in that thing alone!" Inuyasha yelled above the roaring wind, but Kagome ignored him.

She quickly stepped onto the edge of the well, watching as the red light swallowed her arm. With a jump, she fell into its dark depths, hoping the glow would only take her. As she fell, a white blur met her in mid air, and an arm wrapped around her waist.

Kagome looked into dark golden eyes, and gaped in confusion as she fell into the bright red light with Sesshoumaru by her side.

As if sensing what she planned to do, the wind suddenly gave a sharp burst of power, knocking the remaining demons and priest into the air, and falling after Kagome into the red light. Shippo gasped in the air, flailing his arms. As he fell into the well, he caught sight of Rin running into the clearing, crying his name.

_End Flashback~_

Kagome stared at him in shock, at a loss for words. The only thing she could think to say was; "Why can't I remember any of that?"

Shippo shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe the marble doesn't want you to? I cant tell if it thinks by itself or if its..."

"If its what?"

He shook his head, keeping his thought to himself for now. "Nothing. I used my fox magic to try and manipulate the marble into a dating illusion for you before you found it. I guess that's why I got sucked in too."

Kagome stood up, holding her arms as she paced. "This is...its too much. I don't know what to think."

Shippo hung his head, his shoulders dropping. "I'm so sorry Kagome, I never meant for us to get trapped here."

The miko stopped, pausing to look at his crestfallen face. She bent down to his level and brushed his red hair from his face, smiling slightly. "I know, it...its just allot to take in. This is my fault aswell, I'm sorry too."

Shippo's eyes swam with tears as he leaned forward and hugged her. Kagome rubbed his back, feeling panic rising in her chest. In her mind, she'd thought the creator could be reasoned with, but if she was the creator of this illusion, how was she supposed to get them out? The only two paths she knew of was using the marble replica in the game or winning.

When he'd calmed down, Kagome stepped away, saying that she needed some time to think. Shippo nodded and followed the other children inside for lunch.

She soon found herself standing near Sesshoumaru once more, watching as he slept. Kagome held onto her arms, her eyes closing as she fought to stay calm. She wished she knew of a way to save them, but as it was, everything was working out exactly as Naraku had planned.

 _'Once she see's the pain and suffering her friends will endure she'll want to save them, even if it means staying behind here herself.'_  She heard his words as if they were being directly uttered into her ear.

"Kagome."

She looked up, finding Sesshoumaru's golden eyes on her. They stared at each other a moment, before a broken smile came to her lips.

"It's me...I'm the creator."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly, but he gave no other reaction.

Kagome made a noise that was part laugh, part sob as she sank to her knees next to him. "I'm keeping us trapped in here and draining all my friends. All the while pretending to-to-" She couldn't force the words out, and instead glared hatefully at the Love Meter beside him.

She shook her head and hid her face, her shoulders shaking. "But I don't think its pretend anymore, not to me-"

Kagome broke off as a hand suddenly ensnared her wrist, dragging her forwards. She was then aware of warmth surrounding her, arms wrapping around her waist. Kagome pressed her face into his shoulder and cried.

She wasn't sure when or how it happened, but sometime after this their lips met in a desperate bid for happiness.


	20. The Aftermath

It was as if a haze blinded her, scattering her logic and modesty to the wind. But instead of her senses being dulled, they were heightened, inflamed. When her hands tangled in his hair it spilled like water through her fingers, cool to the touch and soft in her urgent grip. Firm lips pressed demandingly against hers, and sharp claws gripped her waist, pulling her flush against him.

Kagome wasn't frightened, even when those claws pricked against her heated skin. Her vision flickered as her head swam, lost in the warm sensations that carried her away from the tears still caught in her eyes. He chased away any sadness in her scent and replaced it with desire, slowly coaxing it alight and wiping away her forgotten tears.

The kiss became urgent, uncontrolled, as if he'd lost a battle long fought. Sesshoumaru kissed her hard and breathless, with all the force of a possessive male, yet with a need that felt fragile and full of want. His hands shook as they explored her, his thumb resting over her racing pulse when his hand slid up to her neck. When his tongue swept into her mouth she almost lost it, shuddering all over.

Kagome responded in kind, and drew a rumble from his chest when she unabashedly bit his lower lip.

His hand tangled in her black hair and pulled back, nipping her jaw line and scraping his teeth along her throat; A reminder of who and what he was. Her lips parted as a breathy moan escaped her, and her eyes opened as he continued to kiss down her neck.

She was clutching him close to her tightly as his hand pressed against her lower back, arching her into him. His spicy, masculine scent invaded her senses, and Kagome's lashes lowered as she breathed him in. When Sesshoumaru nipped at her collarbone, her hips shifted against his, and he smiled against her skin.

When they did so again however, he stilled and pulled away.

Their eyes met, a violent clash of gold and sapphire as the air charged with the rise and fall of their aura's dancing together. Their breaths mingled.

His sharp, hooded eyes seemed to convey his warning; _Careful Kagome._

She took in his dark eyes, and noticed that he was breathing as raggedly as she was. Something stirred in her, and when she cupped his face, bringing it back to hers, she kissed him much gentler, reverently than before.

Sesshoumaru's taunt muscles relaxed, and he sighed against her lips when her thumb brushed against his stripped cheek. His hands moved down her back as they explored each other slower this time. His lips that had been unyielding and hard were now soft as he caressed her, and she marveled at his racing heartbeat when her hand ran down chest.

When she pulled away and kissed his markings however, Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed, and he had to pull his hands away from her body to prevent his claws from digging into her. Kagome noticed him tremble, but payed it no mind as she reached to kiss the crescent moon on his forehead.

Sesshoumaru's teeth gnashed together as he wrestled with control. She couldn't know. She couldn't know that what she was doing was an act only mates performed. Yet his instincts would not listen to reason, and the beast inside of him demanded he mark her as his own.  _Claim her, keep her._  It roared in his blood stream.

His eyes locked on her flesh as he dipped his head to press a kiss against her collarbone. When he pulled a breath away from her skin however, his teeth enlarged as his eyes flamed red. His control splintered like needles in his mind.

"O-oh I am sorry! I did not mean to interrupt."

Kagome's eyes snapped open and she pulled away, seeing Kaede standing over them. Her face flamed red as the older woman turned away from them awkwardly, as if they were in an indecent state.

"I was merely wondering if ye would like any of the lunch I'd prepared."

"A-ah of course! Yes we'd love some!" Kagome cursed inwardly, her voice was breathy and flustered. Kaede nodded swiftly, still not looking at them as she wandered off back to the house.

Sesshoumaru watched her go, torn between thanking the woman and ripping her head off. When Kagome sighed, he turned his gaze back to her, and watched as she adjusted her clothes, fumbling with her tousled hair.

His eyes softened and he caught her hand in its panicked fluttering. She stopped and looked at him. Her heart warmed at the glow in his half lidded eyes.

She'd never seen him look at her in such an openly affectionate way before, and his touch had turned soft, almost loving as he dragged his thumb over her hand.

At this thought, the haze suddenly left her, and she was faced with the reality of the situation once more.  _Holy shit, what have I done?_

Sesshoumaru watched as she turned ridged. All the stress and fears he'd pushed away come racing back all at once. He had hoped that perhaps he'd managed to help her in some way, but her scent confused him greatly as it fluctuated between happy, sad and stressed. He allowed her to take her hand back as she shot to her feet with surprising speed.

"L-lets get going huh? We don't want to leave Kaede waiting for us." Her voice was still a little husky and Sesshoumaru inwardly smirked despite himself.

He rose with predatory grace, feeling much closer to his usual strength. Her blue eyes flicked back to him, and she blushed, now entirely uncertain what to do and how to act around him.

Sesshoumaru merely stepped forward and guided her on with his hand at the small of her back. "Indeed."

As she walked, Kagome glanced up at him, her heart stuttering with every shaky step. Something unnamed gripped her fiercely, and it was only when she got inside and excused herself to go to the bathroom did she focus on what it was.

She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, caught between horror and awe. Her hand rose to touch her face, where a warm smile tugged at her lips. She should be guilt ridden for kissing him, but a light blossom of happiness remained glued onto her features. Her eyes sparkled, and coupled with her tousled midnight hair, flushed cheeks, and thoroughly kissed lips she looked like a woman in l-

_No, don't do that. Not now, please don't feel that for him now. I cant feel that way, not while I'm lying to him. This whole thing isn't fair to him, all of it is unfair. Feeling that stuff for him is hopeless, it'll just make things more complicated._

But the flutter of butterflies in her stomach refused to be quieted, and the glow in her cheeks would not pale.

She shouldn't feel so unbalanced by a simple kiss, but as she touched her aching lips, she knew that this feeling wasn't new. It had been there for a long time now, like an undernourished stowaway on her ship. It had fed off her preserves, weakening her defenses until she was laid bare before it.

She smiled slightly. Now she was comparing her feelings to boats. It reminded her of Sesshoumaru's solemn intensity when playing Battleships.

Kagome reached for the long forgotten feelings she'd once harbored for Inuyasha and found that she couldn't even feel the slightest twinge of longing for him now. She shook her head, calming herself, and stared straight at her reflection, deciding to try something.

Her lips parted, and she spoke his name; "Sesshoumaru."

The reaction wasn't physically telling, her face stayed the same. Yet that warm glow immediately rose inside her at the broken whisper, and it was then that Kagome knew she was screwed.

She splashed some water from the sink over her burn, but it didn't sting or ache at the contact. It stood out starkly against her skin. Knowing it was foolish, she couldn't help but feel as if a piece of him were with her even now.

There was a knock at the door, and Kagome opened it, revealing Shippo.

"Kagome! You're not going to believe what I just heard."

After what she'd just discovered nothing could surprise her. "What is it?"

The kitsune looked up at her with sparkling eyes and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Sesshoumaru told Kaede that he wants to adopt me."

"W-what?" She uttered dazedly.

"I know! I was confused too. But then I got thinking and really it makes sense, I mean its not like he means it for real. He probably just wants me to move in with you guys so he can keep an eye on me." Shippo nodded to himself as if assuring some worry he'd had. Kagome blinked down at him, her heart twisting painfully. One thing she'd learned while spending time with Sesshoumaru was that he didn't take most things lightly. If he said something, he usually meant it.

She smiled at Shippo, smoothing any anxiety from her face and replacing it with joy. "That's great news, it definitely makes things easier."

Shippo blinked and nodded. When they walked to the kitchen to have lunch, he resolved to help her with whatever it was that was making her so confused and edgy.

After lunch, Kagome had wanted to take Sesshoumaru aside and ask him about the adoption, but something held her back. It wasn't until her eyes landed on the Love Meter did she know what it was.

The meter was glowing in indigo. There was just the violet meter and a thin layer of pink separating her and her friends from freedom. She could only feel a morbid numbness at this however, and instead focused on what it meant in terms of Sesshoumaru's feelings.

It was one thing to face her own fragile feelings, it was another to have his visually confirmed right in front of her. She wanted to pretend he didn't feel that way for her, that it wasn't possible, but the Love Meter only seemed to glow brighter. Kagome loathed the floating icon with a hatred that startled even her.

"Kagome." His voice made her jump, and she turned to looked up at him quickly.

Sesshoumaru rose a brow at her skittish reaction, but chose not to comment on it. "I trust by now you've heard what I intend to do about the kit."

She nodded, and squashed her feelings down so that they wouldn't distract her. "Yeah, are you sure about this? I want Shippo somewhere safe and where I can make sure he's alright, but..." Kagome trailed off, wanting to say that she didn't want to inconvenience him, but the words sounded empty even in her own head.

She glanced up, and marveled at how her heart fluttered upon just seeing him. Turning slightly, she waved it off in a way even she knew was unconvincing. "If you're sure, then I'd be very grateful. You've done so much for me as it is, I kind of feel like I'm in your debt."

Sesshoumaru took a step forward and tried to read her. She was such a vexing thing when she wanted to be. "No repayment is necessary miko. Perhaps later on however, you might share some of what you have discovered about our current circumstances."

Kagome nodded slowly, and was more than relieved when Kaede interrupted them, asking if Sesshoumaru would like to sign the adoption papers.

He gave her an assessing look before leaving, and Kagome sighed heavily, wondering at the happy feeling he ignited in her heart even when everything else looked so grim.

OOO

After signing the paperwork Kagome had followed Sesshoumaru and Shippo home, saying little. The two demons noticed this of course but Shippo tried to cover up her subdued attitude by being overly friendly and chatty to the older demon.

"How many rooms are there in the house lord Sesshoumaru? Oooh does it have a pond? Or a mini castle built outside, maybe even a-"

"It has enough." The demon lord retorted, somewhat unnerved by the miko's tense silence.

They reached the mansion in record time, and Jaken greeted them at the door. "Lord Sesshoumaru, and lowly human girl! Welcome back!"

The green imp suddenly noticed they had company. "Who is this mi lord?" This gained the attention of Inuyasha, who was lounging on a sofa in the next room.

Sesshoumaru cast Shippo a courtesy glance. "Shippo, a fox kit. He is staying here now."

Shippo grinned wickedly at Jaken, deciding to rub it in. "Lord Sesshoumaru adopted me."

There was a crash and a bang in the next room as Inuyasha scrambled into the hallway. "WHAT?!"

Jaken had gone completely silent, eyes vacant. It seemed his very soul had left his body.

Kagome took off her shoes and gave Shippo a look, who cast his eyes to the floor. "It's not a big deal Inuyasha, Shippo's a good friend of mine and he needs a place to stay. You don't mind do you?"

At her warning tone, Inuyasha's ears lay flat. When their gazes locked however, Kagome remembered the presentation, and looked away.

Inuyasha noticed and tried to cover up his mixed feelings. "Keh, not a big deal...like hell its not a big deal. The bastard doesn't just adopt kids out of the blue, what the hell is really going on?"

Sesshoumaru wasn't in the mood for his half brothers antics and brushed past him, handing him one of the letters of consent from the orphanage.

Kagome mused to herself that a real adoption wouldn't work anything like it had today, but shrugged it off. She decided to show Shippo around and led him on past the confused hanyou. Once he was done reading the letter, Inuyasha lowered it, shaking his head. "Just what the heck is going on here?"

He dropped the letter carelessly and it descended into the air, landing squarely on Jaken's frozen face.

OOO

That night, Kagome tucked Shippo into bed, who gazed around his new room with awe in his eyes. "Wow, I know none of this place is real but wow, you have good taste Kagome. Did you even know you could imagine a room like this?"

Kagome looked around them at the lavish but tastefully simple designs of the bedroom. She shook her head, "not really. Anyway Shippo, I need to ask you something."

"Whats up?"

She hesitated, before asking; "Did you have something to do with the Inuyokai book?"

"Oh, yeah. But I didn't really know much about it myself. I got most of the information from Totosai and Myoga. Then I used my magic to try and put it in the marble before we all got sucked in here."

"O-oh." Kagome looked away, her hands fumbling with the quilt cover. Shippo sat up and frowned.

At his anxious look, Kagome glanced back at the closed door. She silently let a slip of energy out, spreading it around the house. Inuyasha was in the kitchen, Jaken was out on the porch, sweeping, but who she was looking for remained absent. She was about to give up when she felt a slight brush of sharp, familiar energy, and she quickly recalled her powers.

Sesshoumaru was outside in the garden, going through the forms of sword play.

He wouldn't be able to overhear what she had to say, which calmed her. None the less, she bit her lip before whispering; "I have feelings for Sesshoumaru."

Shippo blinked, before smiling. "Why are you worried about that? That's great news!"

She frowned. "No its not Shippo."

He looked confused, and she stood up, suddenly feeling the need to pace. "Don't you get it? If I acted on those feelings and we got together and left this place, I'd have to tell him that our relationship started off as a lie. I manipulated him Shippo, I set him up, and at first I didn't feel anything for him. He was just a way of getting out of this world. If someone told me that I'd be pissed, hurt and betrayed."

"Well...why do you have to tell him about the dating sim at all? Does he have to know?"

Kagome's eyes flashed. "Of course he does! I wont tell him until we're out of this mess but I'll have to eventually. He might find out some other way, and I couldnt bare it if he found this out from someone else, but I'd tell him anyway even if there was no risk of that. I need to say it because I have to be honest with him. If we did act on our feelings, I'd always feel this dark cloud of guilt hanging over me every time I saw him."

She ran a hand through her hair. "We'd probably break up, but it'd be better for him to know the truth, rather being kept in the dark about everything."

Shippo watched her, his heart churning with guilt. "U-um..."

Kagome looked at him. "What?"

"Its just...you said you'd break up if you told him. If you'd already gotten together, then Sesshoumaru would have made you his mate by that point and you wouldn't be able to break up. A mating is kind of forever."

"M-mate me? He's not...he wouldn't want us to be mated so quickly." She thought about his inner beast saying that he'd never accept her, and Sesshoumaru's general attitude to humans. Then again, that mostly felt like a front.

Shippo shook his head. "I'd think again, he's already shown allot of signs about being ready and willing to make you his. I've only been in this house a few hours and I saw them."

"W-what? N-no, you're wrong."

Shippo shrugged, his eyes grave. "Ask him. One way you'd know for sure would be to ask if he meant to adopt me literally. If he did, then that'd make me a member of his pack. If he's willing to take a kid under his protection for you, a kid that's practically _your_  family, then he's vowing something permanent to you. A real commitment, a real mating."

The fox kit scratched behind his neck. "I don't think he really meant to adopt me, but that's my own thoughts. You know him better than I do, so go ask."

He said it so easily, like it was just a simple matter to walk up to a Daiyoukai and ask if he wanted to mate her. Kagome's head swam.

Sighing, she rubbed her temples. A part of her wished she'd never kissed him, then maybe her feelings wouldn't have been unearthed. But another part of her realized that she'd been playing the game as if from behind a screen, like she had at home before all this mess.

She'd been stupid to think that Sesshoumaru could fall for her without any form of sacrifice on her part. Now she would suffer alongside him when he found out. Not just because she felt guilt, but because she would be left heartbroken too.

OOO

It was late into the night when Sesshoumaru finished training. He walked into the kitchen, getting a glass of water and deciding to have a shower. He was pleased that the house seemed to automatically fix itself after several days so that he wouldn't have to keep going back to the school showers.

As he made his way into the living room however, he found Kagome waiting for him.

His eyes searched her face as something like concern flashed in their depths. Kagome swallowed and squared her shoulders, hoping she appeared more confident than she felt. "I wanted to talk to you about everything that's been going on lately. Not about the world we're in but...a-about us."

Immediately something shifted in his eyes, and he was then looking at her with such a fervent, almost hungry gaze that it made her want to shiver.

Instead, she looked at him seriously. "Why did you do all of this?"

A heavy, solemn darkness hooded his gaze. "Am I not allowed to care for you and your kin?"

"That's not it and you know it. This is...Shippo thinks its not real, that you don't mean the adoption literally. It's just a way for us to be in the same house to him. But you..."

Kagome raised her chin. "Is this real to you?"

She struggled under the implication of their words. If Sesshoumaru really did mean that he'd accepted Shippo as a part of his pack as he had Kagome, it was almost as if he were agreeing that they could be more. Like he wanted to protect both of them, keep them even after all of this mess. Almost like...

_Almost like a real family._

Everything was suddenly too real and immediate. It was different when it was just her, but agreeing to look after Shippo was something else. It carried with it too many questions and thoughts about the future, and she suddenly realized that in pursing him she'd been following the steps to a happy mating, not a relationship like humans shared. This wouldn't have an ending like a dating sim where the two characters kissed and that was it.

His aura of youki rose, and coaxed her reiki to flare to life. When they fit together like puzzle pieces, her eyes widened, and she got her answer.

"You should understand by now Kagome, this one does not do things halfheartedly." His voice was soft like velvet, even as his eyes burned with intensity.

Kagome froze, and Sesshoumaru read panic and confusion in her scent. He understood her reaction, since he'd struggled with the rising instincts he continually felt to make her his. But some things he could not deny himself, and he knew he couldn't ignore her any longer.

He understood that centuries worth of belief was hard to undo, he probably wouldn't ever fully accept the human race even if this world said they would take over. But this woman didn't demand he change, just as Rin hadn't. But where Rin was a child, an innocent, blind to his less than wonderful traits, this miko had seen him numerous times at his worst. Yet she did not quiver under his touch in fear.

A part of him had tested their compatibility when they'd transformed together, and the results had been favorable.

But even if they'd said he and the miko were not meant to be, Sesshoumaru had spent centuries coveting a sword that was not his.

He'd thought to himself at the time that if he wanted her, he would do far more to keep her. Now he knew with certainty.

The only thing left was confirmation that she wanted him too.

Sesshoumaru felt it unwise to push her now, so he resolved to leave. He gave her one last soul searching look that made her knees want to buckle before leaving.

Kagome stood, frozen. She backed up and leaned heavily against the wall, her hand on her racing heart.

Like the old proverb of a frog in boiling water, the heat had slowly been rising all this time. Only now did she see that she was burning to a crisp due to her own negligence.

She kept thinking of all the passages in the inuyoukai book, and how the line between friendly demon behavior and mating behavior had blurred. That kiss on his jaw, had it been so innocent? Just a way of asking forgiveness? If she were being honest, it had been more than that to her.

But him offering her a place to stay, had that been just an invitation into his pack, or way of starting off a mating courtship?

And then there was his youki, and she thought of the extract in the book;

_'Inuyoukai often use youki with potential mates by expanding their powers towards each other. When the youki aura's meet, the way they react off one another's energy typically shows how far along in their courtship they are.'_

_'If the energies spark or clash, it is usually because their hosts are in disharmony with each other. If the aura's dance together but don't touch, the couple are in a teasing/flirting, comfortable mood. If the youki merges together, it is a sign of total trust and affection, and the pair will usually consummate their relationship not long after in order to become mates.'_

Kagome reigned in her aura that seemed to automatically search for his. All of this was leading to a mating between them, she'd just been too caught up in the game to see it.

 _"You should understand by now Kagome, this one does not do things halfheartedly."_  His voice echoed in her mind. He'd meant it, knew of the implication behind his words. He was serious about this. About them.

She'd meant what she'd said before they'd kissed; She wasn't pretending when she enjoyed his company, wanted to see him smile, wanted to kiss him, know him. But this was something else. A mating was practically marriage, but it was far more intimate and extreme.

She realized then that her initial reason for choosing Sesshoumaru had been totally wrong. He was logical yes, and sometimes cold-hearted, but above all he was loyal to what he felt mattered.

Out of all the guys to pick for the dating sim, he was the worst one to choose for a mere game. Because when he did care, he cared deeply.

Kagome put a hand to her head and breathed out shakily. "Holy  _shit_ , what have I done?"

OOO

The next morning was colder than the last, and a brief look at the calendar showed that it was now Autumn. The dead leaves crunched under Kagome's feet as she followed Shippo and Inuyasha to the store later in the afternoon. Like the seasons changing much too quickly, Kagome found that everything was turning too fast for her to keep up.

She wanted to regain some control again, but the invisible barrier in the sky only served as a reminder that she was somewhat lacking in that area right now. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered against the chill in the air.

Once they arrived at the store Shippo and Inuyasha argued over what food to buy while Kagome looked at scarves. She bought five different ones, each for a different member of the house.  _This is so domestic its not even funny, but I don't want them to get cold_ , she thought to herself.

Naturally she imagined Sesshoumaru wouldn't want any part in wearing a scarf, but she kept it anyway.

On their way back home however, Kagome stopped dead in her tracks.

There was a new street open.

If she was right, then this was the same street Souten had appeared from the day of the Cultural Festival. She'd literally stepped out from thin air on that day because Kagome hadn't been able to see the street. Yet now it lay open and unexplored before her.

"Hey guys, I'll catch up with you at the house later. I'm just going to go visit a friend." She thought of Souten as a friend so her excuse wouldn't leak into her scent.

Inuyasha turned back to her questioningly. "Bit sudden ain't it?"

Kagome grinned and waved off his concern, walking up to him and handing her bag of scarves over. "Can you take these? Thanks, I won't be too long I promise."

He grumbled in annoyance at having to carry the shopping and her bag but took it none the less.

Shippo just looked up at her quietly. "Are you sure you want to go alone?"

She hesitated under his watchful gaze, but smiled a little more gently this time. "I'm certain, I'll be alright."

Kagome then turned away, stepping foot into unknown territory as she gazed up warily at the new buildings. She turned back to see Inuyasha walking away with arms full of shopping and Shippo watching her in concern.

The miko nodded in reassurance, before carrying on down the street.

As she walked on, the muffled sound of music caught her attention. Following the empty road, it lead her directly towards the music blaring louder and louder.

Her feet eventually stopped in front of a large building, the windows lit up with flashing colours and the music now vibrated into the very road beneath her feet. It was some sort of club or bar from the looks of it.

Kagome felt hesitation grip her, before she shook herself and stepped forward. If she was the creator here, then she needed to take control. This wasn't just about her powers, it was her situation too. She needed to find a way of saving her friends that didn't just rely on using the marble or winning the game.

Because she was beginning to fear that the only way Sesshoumaru's meter would pass the pink marker would be if she agreed to be his mate. The thought of a future with him didn't frighten her, it was more that if she did agree and she won the game, then how could she ever reveal the truth to him?

Kagome put a hand on the door and pushed, stepping through the threshold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, btw I will defo be writing more stories for Sess/Kag after this one. I have two planned already, one of them will be a lighthearted but morbid tale, and the other will be a big train of feels about the power of human connection. I am really eager to start on the latter because I already know how it will end, but I wont start it until this fic is done and dusted. Hopefully you'll join me for those two but if not then I'm glad you've read this one so far wonderful readers. ^^


	21. The Stars

Blinding lights, the deafening roar of speakers and a sharp smell of beer hit Kagome all at once. The door shut heavily with an ominous thud behind her. She glanced back warily and hoped it wasn't suddenly locked.

The building held both a separate bar and a club inside. On one louder side of the building there was a dance floor filled with people, with bright lights flashing energetically and music blaring out from speakers. It had plush looking sofas lined up against the wall, but it was too crowded to really see them. On the other side, a quiet, lazy atmosphere filled the lone bar. It had tables set up everywhere like a restaurant but no customers. It was hard to believe that these two places shared a large room together.

Kagome sweat dropped, unsure what her next move was. She'd wanted to see if she could find Souten, but she couldn't imagine the little girl hanging around in this dingy building. She decided to approach the bar, but froze in place when she noticed someone familiar behind it.

Manten was bent down, putting some beers in a mini fridge and humming to himself. Kagome squatted behind one of the tables, feeling silly. Since Hiten had all but announced his loyalty to Naraku though, she didn't want either of the brothers to know she was there. Did they own the place?

She wondered if Souten was living with them. She glanced around the area, her lips thinning.

"Brother!" Manten suddenly wailed.

Kagome started, and waited for Hiten to reply, but Manten just kept talking. "Brother why? Why couldn't you let me have the night off? Instead you leave all the work to me!" He wined.

Rolling her eyes, the miko spotted a door behind the bar. Looking around, it seemed to be the only one aside from the bathrooms that led anywhere. Kagome focused, spreading out her reiki aura. It climbed up the walls, feeling around upstairs for any signs of life.

A bright spark flashed in her mind, and Kagome drew her aura back. If she was right, then Souten was upstairs.

The only problem was that Manten was behind the bar, blocking the way through.

Survying the room, her eyes landed on a glass that had been left on one of the tables. She quietly moved the glass slightly over the edge, before kicking the table leg, giving it the nessisary jolt that made it fall to the floor.

Kagome quickly moved so that she wouldn't be spotted.

The sound of glass hitting the floor grabbed Manten's attention, who shuffled around the bar to look at the damage. "Those awful speakers are too loud, now look what they've done! The very vibration of them shake this buildings foundations!"

While he was distracted, Kagome crawled behind the bar.

"Hey!"

She froze, heart thudding in her chest, but Mantan carried on. "You! Behind the speakers! Turn down this music instantly!"

There was a snarky reply. "Make me baldy!"

"B-baldy?" Was all Kagome heard as she crept through the door and found a flight of stairs.

As she followed them up, the music dulled slightly. When she arrived at the top, several rooms awaited her. Kagome frowned, trying to place where she'd felt the spark of thunder energy come from.

She moved with soft footed steps to one door and pushed it open.

The interior was dark and gloomy, but it had colorful pictures stuck to the walls, almost like someone had attempted to brighten up the place in vain. Kagome closed the door behind her once she saw the pictures, instantly recognizing the child-like scribbles.

"Souten?" She called out softly.

There was a rustle of movement from under the bed, and Kagome knelt down to the floor, peering under it. Sure enough, Souten squatted underneath, hugging her legs.

"How did you get in here?" She all but demanded, her tone at odds with her wide, frightened eyes.

Kagome stayed where she was, wondering why the girl was so afraid of her. She'd given her the same fearful look on the day of the Cultural Festival before she'd ran away.

"I kind of sneaked past your brother." She smiled.

Souten snorted and looked away. "You lie, Hiten would have spotted you."

Kagome blinked, before shaking her head, grinning. "Ah I should clarify it was Manten. If it had been Hiten then it would have been a different story."

Souten perked up at this, almost subconsciously happier at the mention of her brother's strength. "Heh, that's true, sneaking around him would've been an impressive feat!"

The little girl laughed, and Kagome smiled, moving forward slightly.

Red eyes caught her movement. "You should probably go, you'll get caught if you hang around here." Souten looked at her seriously, but Kagome shrugged, tucking her knees underneath her and leaning back on her arms.

"I'd really rather talk to you first. How about you come out from under the bed? You know I'm not going to hurt you Souten, I'd never do that."

Souten shifted. "I-I know, I'm not stupid. It's just...you're going to try and take me away from my brothers, aren't you?"

Kagome's brows furrowed, and she moved to try and get a better look at the girls shadowed face. "I didn't really come here with that in mind. Shippo told me everything, about the marble, about you coming into this world deliberately. You did it so you could be with your brothers huh?"

Souten's red eyes darted away from her, and the miko sighed heavily. "I see...were you lonely?"

She waited until the thunder demon had nodded slowly, before saying; "I'm sorry. We should have visited you more, made more of an effort. I should have-"

"It's not that stuff. You guys did enough."

Kagome bit her lip. "What about Koryu? Why isn't he with you?" She asked softly.

Souten tossed her head and sneered at the mention of her dragon familiar. "He didn't wanna come. Said I was in over my head and that it was a stupid idea. He just doesn't understand, no one does."

Silence filled the room. The music from downstairs was a muffled hum underneath them, and served as the only break in the tense quiet. Kagome leaned forward, her face drawn in concern.

Souten breathed in heavily, her shoulders shaking. "I...I'm the last member of the Thunder Demon Tribe. I have no way of bringing honor to their name, and even if I did, nothing would be grand enough to measure up to them. I'm alone, and...I just missed them so much. I don't care about that revenge stuff anymore, they died honorably in battle. I could never be sad about that, but..." She broke off, wiping her eyes furiously and shaking her head.

Her voice was clearer when she continued, but held a note of softness to it. It didn't escape Kagome's notice that she spoke about her brothers in past tense. She hadn't deluded herself into thinking her brothers were alive, even though she'd surrounded herself with their illusions.

"Manten, he always made the best out of a bad situation. If I used a thunder magic technique and it didn't work right, he'd just do something stupid to make me feel better and say to try another day. And Hiten, he always knew what he wanted to do, knew what his purpose was. He'd give me silly missions, like to find a diamond that he'd hidden for me earlier that day. Then he'd tell me how great I was when I succeeded." She shook her head in frustration.

"I've just been sitting at home coloring, doing nothing since they perished. How can I call myself a worthy member of my tribe without them?" Her voice broke as a breath shuddered out of her.

Kagome moved forward until she was right next to the bed. She smiled slightly. "You kind of just answered your own question. Your brothers called you a worthy member of their tribe even when you messed up and did little missions for them right? They were happy enough with that from you."

She paused to gather her thoughts, and then smiled gently. "You don't need to do something big so that you can honor their name, you honor it every day, because your alive. You're living and carrying their memory. That's enough for them, I know it. When the illusion Hiten spoke about your drawings, he was so proud of you. That was all he needed from you to be happy. I'm sure the real Hiten would feel the same."

A sniff caught her attention, and Kagome fought the urge to scoop Souten up into her arms. The little girl had allot of pride, so it was best not to push her. Instead, Kagome turned and leaned against the side of the bed, hands in her lap. "Besides, you're not the only one who feels like they have no direction. I'm the same."

"But, you're the Shikon miko."

Kagome snorted, smiling wryly to herself. "Yeah, the Shikon miko...the one who fixed the jewel and wished it away. Have you heard me do anything since?"

Silence was her answer, and Kagome's smile turned gentle. "Without some guidance, sometimes its difficult to motivate yourself into doing anything. I've just been playing dating games since I wished the jewel away."

Souten gave a shaky laugh. "Dating games?"

"Yep, so really, don't worry about it. We just need to keep trying until we find our way again. A way that's right for us."

Kagome waited, listening for the thunder demons reply. A few sniffs and a hiccup later, Souten crawled out from under the bed. She sat beside Kagome at first, her cheeks tinged red, before shuffling into her side.

This was all the prompting needed for Kagome, who pulled the girl into her arms a moment later. Her heart warmed as Souten rested against her, hiccuping every now and then, stubbornly fighting away tears.

Since she was no longer under the cover of shadow her bed had provided, Kagome finally got a good look at the thunder demon. She was pale, almost as pale as Shippo had been before Sesshoumaru had given him youki. Kagome frowned in concern, placing a hand on her head. She was warm, but not feverish, yet this wasn't enough to reassure her.

It would probably be only a week until she fell into a state similar to how Shippo had been. Her levels of youki were weak, enough so that it had dulled her hair. Kagome bit her lip and hugged the girl to her.

_What should I do?_

She didn't get much of a chance to dwell on her thoughts as the door suddenly slammed open on its hinges.

Kagome turned in alarm, her eyes widening.

"I thought I sensed someone familiar, welcome to our humble abode Shikon miko." Hiten grinned, stepping into the room.

Souten stood up quickly. "Brother, Kagome was just-"

"Don't get riled up Souten, I just want a chat with our guest, nothing more. You don't mind, do you miko?" The thunder brother leered at her, but Kagome ignored him.

Instead she turned to Souten. "You know that youki is being drained here Souten, you cant stay in this world forever. Please be careful, and if you need help come find me."

Kagome felt a jolt as she was roughly yanked up by the back of her collar. She pulled herself free from Hiten's grip and glared, but he only grinned and walked out the door, expecting her to follow.

Kagome knew she couldn't take Souten with her, no matter how much she wanted to. She'd just have to trust that Souten would be alright.

She looked back at the worried little girl. "It'll be okay. Just think about what I said, alright?"

Souten stared at her, red eyes swimming with emotion as she nodded silently.

Kagome smiled and then walked out the room, finding Hiten waiting for her in the hallway. He gave her an unreadable look and then walked on.

She followed him past several doors, and then down a long passage that seemed to narrow in on itself. She fought not to feel claustrophobic as she noticed there weren't any windows.

At the end of the long passage was a door. Hiten opened it, waiting for her to enter first. Kagome hesitated, before stepping forward into the room.

OOO

It was as dark and gloom filled as Souten's room had been. It had all sorts of different weapons hung up on the walls, each looking sharp and threatening as they glinted in the light. Kagome felt sweat bead at the back of her neck.

"How about a drink?" Hiten's lips lifted, and he grabbed a nearby bottle along with two glasses held between his fingers.

"Um, no thanks." Kagome muttered, highly confused and suspicious.

"I'll take one."

Kagome jumped out of her skin, only just noticing Bankotsu in the room. He leaned against the far wall, looking bored.

"Ah, hey didn't see you there. How are things?" Hiten poured a drink for the mercenary, who shrugged.

"Slow as usual, you know how it is."

Hiten nodded sagely, handing him the drink. Kagome watched all of this with disbelieving eyes.  _They're catching up like old buddies? I thought this would be some sort of interrogation, what the heck?_

When they continued to chat among themselves, Kagome found herself actually clearing her throat to interrupt them. Hiten blinked before seeming to come back to himself. He smiled and sat down on a nearby leather sofa, gesturing she do the same. Despite her protest, Hiten poured her a drink and placed it in her hands the moment she sat down.

"I really don't-"

Hiten's eyes glittered in amusement. "Don't start an argument about this Shikon miko. You can rest assured Naraku doesn't know you're here, I'm just giving you this as a sort of condition."

"Condition?"

The thunder demon leaned back in his seat. "Yeah, you drink that and I'll tell you some stuff I know about Naraku. Deal?"

Kagome's eyes widened. She didn't want to call attention to how ridiculous that sounded but really she was too suspicious not to. "That doesn't make any sense. You brought me here to help me? I thought you were on Naraku's side?"

Bankotsu laughed quietly to himself, sitting on the window frame not too far away. Hiten just smiled. "Yeah I am, but only because he promised to help me out in return. Since he's taking so long in actually sealing his end of the deal, I thought I'd speed things up a bit."

Seeing that she was still confused, he sighed. "I've had my memories back for awhile now, so has Bankotsu and Naraku. Anyways I know I'm dead, and that Souten came here to spend time with me and Manten again."

He shook his head and lifted the glass to his lips, suddenly allot more thoughtful and mature than Kagome had ever seen him. "After piecing everything together, I now know why Souten is getting weaker. It's because of that damn barrier  _you_  put up. It's draining her, it'll probably kill her soon. That's why I teamed up with Naraku. He said he could get you to use the marble and send everyone alive back to your world."

Kagome's eyes widened, and she stared at him for a long moment.  _He just wants to save his sister._

"B-but, the reason I don't want to use it is because it'll leave me behind when it takes everyone else." She murmured faintly.

Hiten's face darkened impossibly fast, his eyes brimming with a fierce hatred. "You think I care what happens to you?"

The room was plunged into silence. Kagome looked away, her hands tightening on the glass in her lap.

Bankotsu sighed at the drama of it all and spoke up. "Look just drink and we'll explain what we know about Naraku."

Kagome glanced up at him sharply. "Why are you here anyway?"

He rolled his eyes and smiled in a way that Kagome couldn't place. He looked so boyish and handsome that any dark expression didn't seem to fit his face. "I'm just here for the free food and the entertainment of course."

Kagome frowned and looked at the drink in her hand. It had a clear, greenish tinge to it. She wondered if it was sake, and took a sniff, instantly regretting it. She pulled the glass away from her sharply, trying not to retch.

"What the heck is this stuff?"

Hiten waved it off, back to his usual smirking self. "Just something strong for the road. I can't have you wondering out of this place sober, a place I own. Naraku's spies might see you and report back to him. Any idea how suspicious that would look?"

_He has spies?_

Kagome's gaze shifted between the two, not trusting them for a moment. Still, she felt like Hiten had been honest with her about his concern for Souten, so if he wanted to talk maybe he wouldn't harm her once she took the drink.

Still, she wanted a guarantee. "Give me your word that nothing bad will happen to me once I drink this. You wont hurt or kidnap me, and I mean both of you swear."

Bankotsu held up his hand and smoothed his expression in an attempt to mollify her. "I'm really not interested in starting something Kagome."

Hiten also swore, "same here, it'd be too much trouble."

"You said you don't care what happens to me. Also I remember Sesshoumaru saying that he... _spoke_  with you, after you dropped me off at the house that one time."

He leaned forward, his hand ghosting over his neck a moment. A large smile split his face at the memory."Yeah, I remember too. He's got a good grip that Daiyoukai, I'll give him that much."

Hiten suddenly sobered, looking straight at her. "But those things don't matter right now. I'm not going to hurt you, idiot."

Her eyes narrowed, and hoping her instincts were right, she lifted the glass to her lips and quickly downed the drink.

Fire ignited in her throat, and she coughed harshly, putting a hand to her neck. Tears stung her eyes. Both Bankotsu and Hiten laughed at her reaction.

There was no taste to it, just a burning feeling on the inside of her mouth. Her tongue ached with the sting.

Hiten slapped her on the shoulder, "there you go Shikon miko! That'll put some hair on your chest!"

She chocked, "what?!"

"It's an expression." He rolled his eyes.

Bankotsu looked at the clock on the wall. "We have about 15 minutes before that stuff takes effect."

Hiten nodded and turned to Kagome, who was still rubbing her neck in an attempt to soothe her throat. "Alright miko, you know that Naraku wants to keep you in this world, right? That's why he wants you to use the marble, not win the whole game thing?"

She nodded, and he continued. "You ever wondered why that was?"

Kagome thought to herself. "He said he can't leave this world."

"Yeah, that's the thing. He's not real, just like Bankotsu and I. We're all illusions, but Naraku is a specific part of you. When you made this place, your thoughts kind of meshed with your nightmares, creating him. That's why he knows so much about you, where to strike, what weak points to hit. He was shaped by your memories of him like us two, but he's like a big piece of you that's been cut out and made in his image."

Bankotsu spoke up, arms folded and looking bored. "He wants to keep you in here because you fuel the illusions, without you in here, he dies, just like us. That's why he wants you to use the marble, it'll get rid of the competition and keep you in here, giving him life forever."

Kagome's head reeled, both with the bombardment of information and the drink working it's way through her system. She thought for a long moment. "Why are you telling me this?"

Bankotsu sighed, rubbing his head. "It goes against my survival instincts to say this, but I kind of don't want to live in this world. It's just day after day of working, no battles, no bloodshed. I don't care one way or the other if you win or not."

The thunder demon leaned into Kagome's line of sight, looking much more serious and solemn. "I need my little sister out of here. You're taking too long to get that dog demon to love you. I don't believe you'll win the game before something happens to Souten."

Hiten suddenly stood, walking over to a wooden cabinet and opening it. He took out a box, and opened it, taking out what lay inside.

Kagome's eyes widened at the sight of the marble. She stood up shakily and backed up against the opposite wall as Hiten stepped closer.

"That's why you're going to use this right now. I'm not gonna wait around anymore." He held it out to her, but Kagome shook her head.

If she did use it, then everyone would be saved. But on the other hand, she would be left behind, and Sesshoumaru would lose all his memories of their time together.

Hiten seemed to read her thoughts, and sneered. "So self righteous, and yet so obviously selfish. Am I right miko?"

Kagome put her hand on the wall behind her, feeling woozy. "I-I just need a bit more time, a week perhaps. I know I can win with Sesshoumaru."

"And what if Souten doesn't have that long? What then?"

"Sesshoumaru could-" Kagome broke off, realizing that she was signing him up to give youki without his consent. She put a hand to her face, feeling a sickness curl in her stomach. Her mind was begging to sink out of focus, a pleasant buzz drumming against her temples.

She couldn't keep asking Sesshoumaru to drain himself for other people. Eventually there'd be nothing left of him.

Hiten stepped forward, shoving the marble into her frozen hand. "Use it. If you're the hero its kind of expected you do this stuff. I got a good insight into your brain when I was created along with the illusion. You want to matter again, don't you? Use this and they wont remember what happened here, but people on the outside will be able to tell them, right?"

_Rin, she could tell them._

"You'll be remembered as something more than just the Shikon miko. You'll have saved all their lives. Isn't that what you want?" Hiten's voice was sharp around the edges. He wasn't quite as good as Naraku at persuading people, used to getting what he wanted by taking it by force.

But Kagome could see the merit behind his words, even while frozen with uncertainty. Yet she didn't feel as stressed as usual, in fact she felt so bubbly she could dance.

A large grin spread over her face as she laughed. "Dunno! Boy you's guys look so serious! Lighten upp!"

Hiten blinked, "what?"

He turned to Bankotsu, who was fighting a grin. The mercenary shrugged. "Guess that stuff took effect quicker than expected. She must have had a light lunch for it to have worked this fast."

"Lets go sing karaoke! Woo-ho! Come on Hi-ten! Sing Thunderstruck with me!" Kagome giggled, pulling on Hiten's arm.

He cursed under his breath and grabbed onto her arms. "Hey, get serious. You need to use this-" Hiten gestured to the marble in her hand. "So activate your miko powers right now!"

"Okay!" She chirped. Immediately Hiten tore his hands away from her, roaring in pain. Her reiki danced in the space between them, burning brightly.

Bankotsu couldn't help but laugh, and Hiten rounded on him, glaring furiously. "What the hell are you laughing at!"

"Hey, don't take this out on me, this is your fault."

"My fault! You're the one who-" Kagome didn't hear anymore, she'd stepped out the room, walking down the hallway in a hazy state.

A relieved breath escaped her, and she carefully navigated down the stairs. She wasn't drunk like she'd pretended, but she could feel the effects of the alcohol, and feared that very soon she would be. She found the marble was still in her hand, and dazedly put it in her jacket pocket.

Shoving past a confused Manten, who spluttered a complaint, she made her way unsteadily to the door. Before she got there however, she noticed a familiar face.

"M-miroku?" She uttered, squinting. Sure enough, the monk was sat on one of the plush sofas by the wall, watching people dance.

He grinned up at her. "Hello fair maiden, would you consider baring my children?"

He sounded eloquent and put together, but Kagome knew Miroku when he was drunk. He appeared totally normal, except he could barely walk and had less control of his hands if that was possible.

Miroku smiled happily, offering her a drink, and it was then that she noticed his hand. She grabbed it and turned his palm over, noticing that it was covered in bandages.

"Miroku, what happened?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing, you see-" He pulled the bandages away, revealing no cuts or burns. Instead there was a black patch that looked like it had been painted on in the center of his hand.

His deep, kind eyes looked old and worn when they looked at her. "It's the absence of something that causes the pain."

Kagome reeled back, as though struck. She hadn't spent much time with Miroku in this world, but had he been suffering by himself all this time? Even without the barrier draining him, he must have been quietly wondering why he felt the need to cover his hand. She wondered if he felt a great japing hole within his palm.

The tender moment between them was instantly lost however when she felt his hand on her ass.

Smacking him upside the head, she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him with her. "That's it, you've had enough."

"Kagome! There's my woman!"

She froze, Miroku bumping into her as she stopped. Koga wandered over, laughing merrily as Ayame trailed in his wake, looking miffed. Her eyes brightened when they landed on the miko.

"Kagome! Please, you have to help me get him home."

The buzz that had been gradually wearing Kagome down now tingled warmly, making her relaxed. She smiled, when a part of her cried out in frustration.

"Of courrse! Two's a crowd and three's company after all!" She grinned. Ayame looked puzzled, before shaking her head.

This was how the unlikely group found themselves stumbling down the street late at night. Miroku's arm was slung over Kagome's shoulder, who balanced Ayame while she held onto Koga.

When they stumbled and Kagome grabbed onto Ayame, Koga growled; "Get your hands off my woman!"

Kagome laughed, "Ayame's not in danger from me, I don't swing that way." She held up her hand, dropping Miroku to the floor in the process.

"I swing towards Sess-Sesshou-...Mr. Grumpy pants." She shook her head, feeling dazed.

When they continued on, Miroku staggering to catch up, Ayame turned to Kagome. "I thought I saw something going on between you and Mr. Taisho. Is it true you're living with him now?"

"Yep!" Kagome smiled, happy at the memory.

She heard her name being called, and turned in confusion to see Hojo running up to her. "Kagome! Are you alright? Do you need any help?"

Kagome grinned and practically fell on him, hugging him close. Hojo blushed and stuttered while Koga distantly shouted; "Get yer hands off my woman!"

Hojo tried to right Kagome, feeling her forehead and seeing her wide, unfocused eyes. "Are you drunk?" He asked, scandalized.

"Nooo, I'm Kagome silly." She blinked up at him, only just noticing the Love Meter. It was at the blue marker, and even in her current state, Kagome distantly knew what that meant.

She swiftly backed away from him on pure instinct, laughing and waving her hands. "I really gotta go though, but we'll catch up soon okay?"

Hojo's hands dropped to his sides. "Are you sure you don't need help?"

"Nope! It's all good!" Kagome slung Miroku's arm around her shoulder, and turned, catching up with Ayame.

Hojo watched her go, a dusty blush still on his face as his Love Meter rose once more.

OOO

He surveyed the group that stumbled towards him, laughing merrily. The wolf seemed entirely out of it, being held up by a sober red head wolf who he recognized from school. The monk had a lost, almost mournful look on his face, but didn't appear as drunk as the miko, who was currently dancing atop a parked car.

Sesshoumaru sighed and walked forward, something between concern, uncertainty and anger gripping him. He was unused to dealing with drunks.

His voice was calm but clear. "Kagome."

Her eyes swayed towards him, and she suddenly brightened, looking so impossibly happy it caught him by surprise. The street light above bathed her in a glow, almost making her shine. Even her scent, though ridden with the sharp smell of alcohol, was bright and happy.

He hadn't seen her quite so free and unburdened for a long time.

Kagome waved at him enthusiastically and teetered on the edge of the car roof. "Sesshou-maru!" She sang, before looking up at the sky almost sadly.

"Why are the stars fake, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru appeared infront of her when she swayed unsteadily, nearly falling off the car. His arm wrapped around her waist, his eyes roving over her face.

"You are inebriated."

She giggled, blushing. "No I'm not, I'm drunk silly."

He turned sharply, his eyes locking on Ayame, who gulped. Why did she have to be the only sober one?

"What happened?" He demanded.

Ayame looked away, intimidated despite the picture she was presented with of a Daiyoukai holding a giggling miko atop a yellow mini. "I don't know what happened to Kagome, we found her and Miroku at a bar and she said she'd help drag this simpleton home. Only we got turned around and now we're kind of lost."

Sesshoumaru's eyes flicked to Koga, who leaned against the girl heavily, half asleep. He then looked at Miroku, who swayed on the spot despite standing still.

He sighed inwardly, wanting to pinch the bridge of his nose. "My home is not far. You may stay for the night."

Ayame's eyes widened. "O-oh we couldn't impose."

Sweeping the miko into his arms, Sesshoumaru jumped onto the street, landing next to the monk. Pushing him forward slightly to get him to walk, he ignored the female wolf's protests. The situation was unfavorable, but he knew each of them had once been an ally against Naraku, that at least eased the situation somewhat. Also the miko would have a rant at him if he left them out in the street.

Kagome leaned her head against his shoulder as he walked. "You know, I've never seen you drunk before."

"Hn, the country does not have enough sake that would be up to the task. You forget this is not my true form."

"Ohh I never forget." She sighed sleepily against him before suddenly exclaiming; "Oh god, I'm attracted to someone who's actually a big fluffy dog!"

He heard a noise and noticed the female wolf hide her mouth behind her hand. Sesshoumaru decided to hang back from the group, murmuring to Kagome. "It appears I have fallen prey to a mule headed miko, fate is sometimes cruel."

Kagome's unfocused eyes gazed up at him, her hand resting on his chest as she smiled. His heartbeat picked up, and he was certain she felt it.

"You never carried me like this in the feudal era. Though you did kind of carry me when you let me ride mokomoko." She giggled faintly at the memory, her breath dusting across his cheek.

His lashes lowered. How he wished she were sober, then he could perhaps act on the warmth in his chest. He tried to instill logic and facts into his mind.  _Now is not the time_ , he reminded himself firmly.

"Inuyasha would probably have killed you had I carried you. He was reacting on instinct, and you covered in my scent would have sent him over the edge."

"Mmm maybe." Her hands tightened, and he looked down just as she leaned up to whisper in his ear. "But you know, mokomoko isn't the only thing of yours I'd ride."

Sesshoumaru's steps faulted, before he continued on. Unsure how to respond, he tried to stifle the tight feeling in his chest. "You are drunk." He muttered faintly, perhaps to remind himself.

Kagome laughed, eyes far away. "Drunk mans thoughts, and sober mans words Sesshoumaru!"

He cut his eyes to the sky at this. "You do not know what you do by tempting me."

"Maybe I do."

Sesshoumaru looked down at her sharply, but found only a lazy smile and glossy eyes. "Then you are cruller than I initially thought." He muttered, playing along.

"...You have no idea."

There was a note of deep sadness in her voice, and Sesshoumaru glanced at her again, finding her glossy eyes looking almost lifeless and filled with shadow. He did not like this new development, and tried to pry her thoughts away from whatever dark part of her they'd crept to.

His aura coated her in a thick layer of warmth, shielding her from the cool night air. She smiled faintly, and released her own, its power merging with his naturally.

Once they reached the house, Sesshoumaru's youki turned sharp as he flared it out towards Inuyasha and Jaken in a strong burst of power.

There was a crash and a bang, accompanied by the sound of a flower pot breaking, before Jaken joined them at the door. "Mi Lord! What can I help you with?!" He panted.

"Remove their shoes Jaken." Sesshoumaru gestured to the two drunkards, while Ayame took off her own and Kagome's.

Inuyasha eventually met them in the hallway, rubbing his face. "What the hell is going on?"

"Take our guests upstairs and find rooms for them." Was Sesshoumaru's curt reply, before adding; "Place bins next to their beds."

Inuyasha glared, but froze when Miroku leaned heavily against him, muttering Sango's name. Koga yelled in outrage when Inuyasha put his arm around the monk to try and steady him.

"Getcha hands off my woman!"

As they argued, Sesshoumaru carried his miko into the kitchen to get a glass of water. He placed her down, and put the glass in her hands. "Drink this." He said, hoping he could lessen the hangover she'd have tomorrow.

Kagome laughed softly. "You sound like Hiten." She then brought the glass to her lips and downed it as if it were alcohol.

Hot, white rage assaulted his bloodstream, and Sesshoumaru took a breath, his eyes burning. "Is the thunder demon the reason you are intoxicated? Did he do something?"

"Uh huh, he said it was my condition if I wanted information."

"Information." He tasted the word on his tongue. So that was why the miko was drunk. He had thought it strange she would be drinking, since she didn't seem inclined to it.

He carried Kagome upstairs after that, and placed her unsteadily in the hall as he opened the door to her bedroom. He turned when he heard the distant shouts of Koga arguing with Inuyasha about which room he could have.

When he turned back to the miko however, she was gone. Following her scent, he was brought up short when he found her in his room, falling onto the bed. Sesshoumaru blinked, closing the door behind him. He wasn't exactly prudish, nor thought himself gentlemanly, but when she began to undress he quickly stopped her hands.

It was more for her benefit, since he could imagine her tomorrow, blushing and humiliated if he allowed her to continue. He did take off her socks, and helped her out of her light jacket, but after that he pushed her gently down into bed.

She smiled dazedly up at him, and he had to stifle the flood of wanting that filled him. There she lay, innocent and completely unaffected in his bed. He shook his head and smiled slightly as he sat next to her.

"Sesshoumaru, I gotta tell you something."

"Tomorrow miko, tell me tomorrow." If it were something important, he'd rather hear it when she were sober.

She grew quiet, before sighing. "I like you, allot. I like you more than pastrami."

"What?"

"Astronomy! I like you more than that." She motioned towards the space book she'd given him on Valentines that rested on his nightstand.

Her eyes were growing heavy as she murmured faintly. "Do you know how much I like Astronomy? I  _love_  it. My dad, he used to tell me all about the stars, which ones added up to that belt, which ones were dying. When he died too, I found out all I could about them so I could..."

Kagome trailed off, her words ending with a sigh. "So I could be closer to him."

Sesshoumaru watched her fall into sleep, his eyes never straying. When her breaths evened out, he looked over to the window.

Millions of stars should have greeted him, but as such, only a few glinted in the sky. He knew them to be fake, and not for the first time, wished he were back home. When he'd flown in the night sky, sometimes reaching them had felt possible.

He made a silent vow. _One day, I will take you closer to them than you have ever been before Kagome._


	22. The Fallout

Throbbing bites of needles and a heavy ache in her skull was the first thing Kagome become aware of. She winced, and groaned, bringing a hand to her head.  _Owww, see this is why I rarely drink._

Her tongue felt like sandpaper, and she wet her lips, looking at the nightstand. A glass of water was waiting for her, and she sat up slowly, eyes shining. She carefully picked it up, before gulping it down greedily.

Something stirred beside her on the bed, and she froze. Two golden eyes peered up at her, looking faintly amused and half awake. Kagome squeaked, and put her empty glass down, waving her hand back and forth between them as she blushed.

"Why are you in my bed?!"

Sesshoumaru rose, the covers pooling in his lap. She was immensely glad he wasn't naked, having barely any memory of the night before, and chastised herself for the thought. _Sesshoumaru wouldn't do that, idiot._

"This is my room miko, hence, my bed. Since this one graciously let you stay here, you could be more grateful." He turned to her, leaning close as he brushed his knuckles softly against her cheek, warm gold eyes appraising her bed hair.

"Though admittedly waking next to you makes up for the sleep I lost."

"S-sleep you lost?!" Her voice was breathy and squeaky and- _really Kagome don't let your thoughts go there._

"Indeed, you snore."

Her face flamed red. "I DO NOT! B-besides if I did it's because I was drunk, I don't usually."

She was suddenly aware of her breath and the horrible feeling of her tongue. It felt like something had crept inside her mouth and died. Kagome kicked back the covers, quickly padding to his door, unaware she was taking the Daiyoukai with her.

"I'm just going to go brush my teeth-ah!" She'd looked behind her, only to find him standing with her. "W-what is it?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes turned flat as he held up several strands of his hair, which raised her hand like a puppet connected to string. Kagome blinked down at where her fingers and hand had woven into his hair, tangling it in a knotted mess. She gaped and looked at him guiltily.

"Is this the real reason you were sleeping next to me?" She noticed he was wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday, and flushed guiltily.

"Hn, this one did intend to sleep elsewhere. You had other ideas, and quite lascivious ones I might add. They almost make up for the snoring." She noticed he seemed to be in an extremely good mood, which made her smile.

"Okay the snoring I can buy, but no way am I a pervy drunk." She frowned as she clutched her head. Sesshoumaru cut his eyes to the ceiling, silently vowing he'd pay her back for the liberties she'd taken with him last night.

Kagome wandered back and forth, taking him with her. She first wanted to brush her teeth but then tried to find scissors. After that she debated with herself about pulling her hand free or cutting his beautiful hair. Sesshoumaru watched her rant, something lazy and relaxed inside him.

He had been planning on questioning her about last night as soon as she woke, but he'd slept surprisingly well despite what he'd told her. Another, more primal part of him was pleased she'd stayed in bed with him. Her scent was everywhere, and his was on her, since she'd embraced him in the night.

Since she was becoming flustered, he decided to end this mini game and swiftly severed his hair from her hand. Kagome fell silent, disbelieving as locks of fine silver drifted down to the floor.

Sesshoumaru brushed some imaginary lint from his shoulder, knowing the hair would grow back soon enough. "I'm pleased the snoring is not a regular occurrence, having a mate make such ungodly sounds nightly would be harmful to this ones hearing."

Kagome had been staring at his hair almost mournfully, when her head snapped up. A moment passed between them. It was neither awkward nor comfortable, just a moment of acute awareness.

She was the first to break contact, blushing. "I'm sorry, after having everything implied and said in demon language, it's strange to hear you say that out loud."

Sesshoumaru nodded, something more serious behind his eyes. "Perhaps I should have been more clear with my...desires."

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "You were just being yourself, I was kind of dumb not to pick up on the signals. But some urr...clarification in the future would be nice."

Something shifted in his expression at the mention of the future. All at once Kagome remembered Souten, and Hiten's words from the day before. It was like a switch had been flipped, and suddenly that lazy, warm morning melted away.

A knock sounded at the door, and Shippo hesitantly opened it, grinning sheepishly. "Um, hey? We bought breakfast."

"We?" Kagome smiled in greeting, sitting on the bed.

Inuyasha walked in after him, face like thunder. Sesshoumaru eyed the ramen on his tray and hid a sneer. His room would now smell of that foul concoction for days.

"Wow, thank you so much guys." Kagome accepted the tray from the hanyou, pausing. "Whats up with you?"

"I barely slept, thanks to that damn wolf snoring three doors away. Why the hell did you drag him here with you?"

Last night came flying back to her, and she scratched her cheek guiltily. "O-oh right. I'm sorry about that."

"Keh, sorry's hardly gonna cut it when I've got a report to write." He grumbled, but something fond was in his eyes. She realized the ramen was his way of saying that all was forgiven after the Cultural Festival.

Kagome smiled warmly, and was about to dig into her food when she noticed it.

There were threads of thick black streaks in his hair, only noticeable at the back, but bold enough to stand out.

She stared, and cut her gaze to Shippo. They shared a look, and he nodded slowly. Something tight squeezed in her chest, and she swallowed thickly. "Inuyasha, why is your hair full of black streaks?"

He turned, brow furrowed in annoyance. "Can't say I know. They showed up the night before but not as noticeable. It's weird because it's not like a new moon is any time soon."

Sesshoumaru's gaze turned sharp, catching onto the reason for the change in the room. Kagome nodded, trying to fake a smile as she numbly started to eat her breakfast.  _He's turning into a human because of the youki being drained from him._

The two brothers left the room after this, Inuyasha confused about the mood swings of the miko. Sesshoumaru was back to his usual self, and lingered in the doorway.

"I feel it would be wise to explain to him, and perhaps to the rest of your friends, about the situation."

Kagome smiled weakly and nodded, watching as he shut the door.

Shippo sat with her on the bed, green eyes concerned. Kagome placed her chop sticks down and looked at him. "Looks like things aren't going too well, huh kiddo?" She tried to say it somewhat lightly, but failed.

"What are you talking about? Sesshoumaru's Love Meter is at indigo. You just need it to get to violet and pink, then viola! Everything's solved!" He smiled, hoping to cheer her up.

Kagome looked away. "I spoke with Souten yesterday, and Hiten."

"Y-yeah? Was she alright? She sometimes visited the orphanage and told me how things were going with her brothers. I tried to tell her it was hopeless to get attached to them again but she wouldn't listen."

The miko placed the tray on the floor, steeling herself. She breathed out, and pictured Souten's pale skin, dull hair and shaking body. Just the memory of Shippo nearly passing out was enough to make her nearly lose her composure. She sighed quietly. "It's no good Shippo."

"You mean about Souten listening? I know, shes stubborn-"

"No, I mean this. I can't do this anymore, lying to Sesshoumaru, hurting everyone." Kagome took a breath and tried to control of her emotions.

"...What are you saying?" His voice had turned small, as if sensing something worrying.

Kagome's hands tightened on the sheets of the bed. "I'm going to come clean. I'm going to tell Sesshoumaru everything."

There was a beat of silence as Shippo looked at her, aghast. "B-but if you do that now, he might not like you anymore! The Love Meter won't rise!"

Silence was his answer, and he stared at her wide eyed. "You're just going to give up?"

Something sharp entered her voice. "It's not giving up Shippo, this is about doing the right thing. Everyone looks like they're about to faint as it is, I can't keep ignoring that. I've tried to win on my own, but Hiten's right, I've taken too long."

The fox kit froze as understanding dawned on his face. "Y-your going to use the marble once you've told Sesshoumaru."

Kagome nodded slowly, a cold feeling settling in her heart.

Shippo's eyes widened. "But if you use it, won't he lose his memories of this place? What's the point in telling him?"

She smiled softly, something very tired in her eyes. Shippo had never felt such guilt in his life the moment he saw the pain there. "I'm going to keep trying to leave this place once you guys are out. But if...if I can't get out then I'd be happier knowing I told him before he left. Even though it'll impact my memories, maybe make it hurt to even think about him, I'd rather feel that, than regret that I didn't tell him."

Kagome felt a painful throb in her chest, "even if he doesn't remember our time together." She murmured, almost to herself.

Shippo crept closer to her, his palms sweaty and heart beating impossibly fast. He noticed her shoulders shake, and wrapped his arms around her neck. When she hugged him to her, he scented her sorrow and regret, and felt more afraid for her than he ever had fighting Naraku.

OOO

Once she was dressed and had swallowed some pain killers, Kagome joined everyone in the living room. Koga was curled up in an armchair, holding his head and groaning, Ayame sat on the sofa, looking tired. Miroku didn't have a hair out of place, and was calming sipping some herbal tea. Sesshoumaru had changed his clothes, and was eyeing his house guests with resignation.

When she walked in with Shippo, Inuyasha looked up. "About time, why'd you have to take so long? I wanna leave the house sometime this week."

Seeing the oddly fragile look in her eyes, Inuyasha's ears flattened in confusion. Sesshoumaru cut his younger brother a withering look, which he returned.

"Thanks for waiting you guys, um, where to start?" Suddenly unsure, Kagome shifted, unnerved by their curious stares.

"You wanted to tell us something?" Miroku tried to help.

"Ah, yeah. Well...okay." Kagome raised her head, deciding to just say it.  _Like ripping off a band aid_.

"You're all trapped in a fake world that I created, and your youki is being slowly drained by this barrier in the sky keeping you inside. Eventually you'll die because of this, oh and you're memories have been changed."

Silence greeted her. Shippo smacked his forehead and Sesshoumaru fought a smile. Miroku blinked dazedly and eventually cleared his throat.

Several stunned eyes turned to him. "Perhaps you could give us some more...details?" He asked weakly.

The discussion went on for a few hours, with Koga and Inuyasha being more suspicious and disbelieving than the rest. Miroku was able to follow what Kagome said quite well once she elaborated, and Ayame nodded several times, having noticed her lacking energy.

Soon there was a lull in conversation as the group thought to themselves.

"This is unbelievable," Koga muttered.

Inuyasha scratched an ear, eyes thoughtful. "Yeah it is, but...now that you mention it, I have kind of felt like allot of stuff hasn't added up lately."

He leaned forward in his seat, "I've been getting these weird thoughts, like flashes of stuff. It kinda feels like a memory or something, but I figured that was stupid. I mean if it was, why couldn't I remember it?" His gaze turned to Kagome. "You said we knew each other in the feudal era? I think...yeah I think I dreamed that. There was also this woman with long black hair."

Kagome smiled gently, and when she said her name it didn't hurt like it used to. "Kikyo. You were in love with her."

Inuyasha's gaze seemed far away a moment, before he straightened. "Keh, so now what? If we accept this stuff, what are we supposed to do about it? I don't wanna die."

Sesshoumaru's eyes turned to Kagome, who's smile turned forced. She remembered some of the events from yesterday, one of them in particular standing out. She slowly reached into her jacket pocket, her fingers hesitant. A part of her wished it wasn't there. When she touched something cool and round, her eyes dimmed.

Kagome pulled out the marble and held it out for them to see. "I managed to get this yesterday. It'll send everyone real in the illusion back home."

Shippo's eyes flew up to her, but he said nothing. She'd made him promise not to, and after everything he'd done he felt like he owed it to her not to reveal her lie. Only one in the room seemed to notice his slip, and the Daiyoukai watched the myriad of emotions fly over the kitsune's face with acute interest.

Ayame spoke up, looking confused. "If that's the case why don't we use that thing right now?"

The miko put the marble back in her pocket, her face smoothed of expression. "It needs some time to work, just a few hours or so. Then we can go home." She looked at them seriously. "I wanted to tell you all of this now just in case Naraku tried something. So stay on alert until I use the marble later."

A tense, uncertain silence followed her words. The group weren't entirely sure what to think, it wasn't every day you're told that the world you're in was fake and trying to kill you. Still, they trusted Kagome.

"You mentioned before that there was a way to win. Why are you not using that method?" Sesshoumaru's clear voice cut into the quiet, and Kagome's eyes widened.

She spoke carefully, trying not to reveal herself. "Because we're using this one. It's easier and safer for everyone."

His eyes narrowed, and were it not for Koga cutting in, he would have pressed for more information.

"You mean there was actually a way to win this fake game illusion stuff? Ha! I bet it was something stupid like-" He noticed everyone staring at him. "What?"

Kagome put a hand to her head, noticing an exclamation icon pop up in the air next to him. "Koga, you remember me telling you cant acknowledge the illusion too much or it'll punish you?"

Koga blinked, "oh, yeah...crap."

She waved her hand dismissively, hoping the illusion wouldn't trap him as it had her at home. "Don't worry, I should still be able to send you back using the marble."

Inuyasha stood up, "if that's everything for now, I'm gonna head out. If there's no repercussions for it because this world is fake I'm gonna go punch Mr. Savage in the face. That guy's had it in for me ever since- well since the illusion started."

Kagome sweat dropped, unsure if she should wish him well when he was about to punch a teacher.

Everyone agreed to meet back at the house in a few hours, each of them leaving to take care of something personal. Kagome wondered how attached to their fake lives they were, and whether it made them sad to be leaving.

She was glad none of them suspected her of lying about the marble. She'd said she needed a few hours for it to work so that she could speak with Sesshoumaru before he left.

Which is exactly what she was worrying about. Her fingers were stiff with fear as she grasped them together, unsure what to hope for. When the group had disbursed she approached Sesshoumaru. "Can we talk?"

He gave her an unreadable look, before nodding. Kagome followed him outside into the garden, which she was glad about. Seeing the barrier in the sky would be a reminder of why she needed to go through with this, with sending them away.

"They took it better than expected."

Her head shot up, "huh?"

"You're friends. They seemed to believe you."

"O-oh, yeah." Kagome murmured distractedly, jumping when she felt his hand touch her face. His fingers bid her to look up at him, and warm breath shuddered out of her parted lips.

Sesshoumaru gazed at her with concern as he frowned faintly. "You have been acting strange for some time. What is it miko?"

She felt something fold within her at the almost loving way he pushed her hair back from her face. That morning, waking up beside him, felt like a distant, wonderful dream. She tried to recall his lazy amusement and playful banter, tried to commit his solicitous expression to memory.

He'd mentioned the future to her, had been courting her to be his mate all this time, and Kagome now knew with certainty and a deep sadness that she would have said yes. He would probably never hold her this way again, or look at her with such fondness in his eyes.

Kagome took a deep breath, she needed to be strong. _Oh, this is going to be hard._

Taking a step back from his touch, her heart lurched at the confusion in his eyes, and she forced herself to stay still. "I've been meaning to tell you this for some time. It's about what I have to do in order to win the game here, you mentioned it earlier."

Sesshoumaru nodded, "when I transformed, you said this world was the setting and that you were the main player. You refused to tell me at the time what it took to win, since it would compromise your success."

"Yeah. What I didn't tell you was that the setting is a dating game."

He frowned softly, not following. Kagome steeled her resolve, and continued; "when I made this place, I made it a dating game. A romance sim. The main objective in games like this is to win the heart of a man. You do that by trying to win their favor, to get them to fall for you. There's a whole group of guys to choose from, and the one you pick is the one you try to win with."

She avoided his eyes. "You can tell how much a guy likes you by looking at the Love Meter next to him. The meter looks like a thermometer, and how high it is shows his feelings towards you. You win when the meter reaches the maximum marker."

Silence greeted her. Kagome felt her hands tremble at her sides, and she chanced a look at him.

Sesshoumaru stood still, the first hints of understanding dawning on his face.

Kagome tried to hold herself together and not wilt under his direct stare. "Y-you have a Love Meter, right next to your shoulder. I've been able to see it since the start."

It was as if the temperature had suddenly been lowered by several hundred degrees. Kagome watched as his eyes froze over into winter ice. His expression was empty, as if hollowed out by her words. With each passing minute the old Sesshoumaru returned, his face slowly shifting into a flat, blank mask until he drew into himself completely.

Her heart clenched painfully when he leveled his stony gaze at her, as if he were speaking to a stranger.

"Why choose me for this game?" The words sounded deathly quiet. Something ached in Kagome at hearing the barely concealed brokenness in his voice. His eyes were not quite able to mask the pain he felt, and she longed to comfort him, but knew that was impossible to want now.

"I...I had reasons not to choose everyone else, and I thought that out of everyone else you could handle the situation better when you found out the truth." She winced. She made it sound so heartless.

"Even that boy? Hojo. You mentioned he was in danger from Naraku, was that because you initially picked him?" He spoke woodenly, but the words were coming quickly, unable to hide the rise of hurt in his chest.

She shook her head desperately. "No, Hojo just seemed to like me so his Love Meter rose quickly compared with-"

"Then why not him?" He all but demanded, taking a step closer. Pain and anger lacing the harsh note in his voice.

Kagome replied, but found her words primitive and nothing like what he deserved to hear. "B-because he's really sensitive and I thought it would brake him to find out about the game, about me lying to him."

A tense hush fell over them, and Sesshoumaru's blazing golden eyes slowly frosted over once more. He leaned away from her, a slight sneer of contempt on his face.

"So...you chose to put an illusions feelings above my own. It did not matter when it was me." The sneer melted away, leaving only a raw, exposed ache.

Despair threatened to choke her. She wanted to reach forward, to touch him. "It wasn't like that! I didn't know he was an illusion right away."

"And after?"

"After...Naraku said to stay away from him. But even before then I'd already made my choice. I wanted it to be you."

Kagome's chest twisted. She meant every word, but knew it wouldn't be enough. He already seemed removed from her, his eyes distant and cold in an effort to protect himself.

He turned to her, full of caution and distrust. "Why?"

A desperate burst of feeling loosened her tongue, exposing everything to him, laying her heart bare."Because...I wanted to get to know you better. Whenever I saw you, I wanted to spend time with you. The more I liked you, the more it hurt to think about how our relationship had been set up." Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she tried to hold them back.

"It may have started out as a convenience to choose you, but it evolved into so much more for me. You have to believe me. When I did those things to try and raise the Love Meter, I meant them. I kept forgetting I was in a game when I was with you, and I grew to really-"

"Do not. I've heard enough." He cut her off, turning away from her.

Kagome walked forward to try and bridge the distance between them, but he stopped her with a sharp look in his eyes.

"Do not." He repeated softly.

And there it was. Everything had been said, what more could she do? Her mind was already made up to use the marble, he probably wouldn't remember this anyway. But that didn't lessen the pain in her heart.

"This one apologizes for any discomfort caused because of my advances." He said stiffly.

The insidious feeling of loneliness crept over her, though Kagome tried to ignore it. "Don't say that. Anything I did with you, I did it because I wanted to, not because some game was telling me to." She whispered.

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything, and she stepped away sadly, taking his silence as a dismissal.

"Why tell me this now?" He murmured, almost to himself.

She looked back at him. "Because you have a right to know."

"...No, there is something else. Something you're not telling me. I sensed a lie earlier when you spoke with your friends, and the kit seemed to react badly when you spoke of..."

His eyes snapped to her face. "The marble."

It was her turn to sink into silence, and she backed away, trying to think of an excuse to leave. Sesshoumaru quickly stalked forward, and when she turned to run his hand ensnared her wrist.

Kagome's eyes widened as he pulled her back, golden eyes alight with anger. "If you do not tell me, then this one will never forgive this transgression. You have kept too much from me, perhaps with good intent, but they were lies none the less. Lie now, and this one will never forgive you."

Her breath stopped, and she looked at him. She'd lied to try and protect him, all the while chasing a vicious cycle of confusion, guilt and torment. Kagome's shoulders trembled, and she closed her eyes.

"The marble will only transport you and everyone else back home. It won't take me. Whats more, when it does take you back, you'll lose all your memories of this place."

His grip loosened slightly, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet. "You foolish girl."

Kagome looked up, and found his eyes unreadable. Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. "You thought to save everyone, but at what cost? How would you escape this place?"

Her silence was his answer and he growled. "Foolish, ridiculous girl."

Kagome glared, "it's not foolish to save people's lives! You saw Shippo at the orphanage, and now Inuyasha! I can't wait around any longer, I need to use it before they're drained completely!"

His thunderous growl shuddered into her from his hand connected to her own, the sound drumming in her ears. "This one can give them-"

"I can't ask you to keep doing that! You'll be drained until there's nothing left of you! You might feel guilty about leaving me behind, but I can't delay this, not for you."

"Do not do it for me, thoughtless girl, do it for yourself. This illusion seeks to isolate and confine you, you are giving it what it wants."

"...Maybe I am, but there's no other way. I've almost ran out of time, and I won't risk everyone's lives for mine."

His eyes hardened. "I see...the Love Meter by my side was not rising fast enough for you to win with me." Something like hurt was in his eyes.

Kagome's heart clenched and her hand hesitantly found his that was holding onto her other wrist. His fingers were cold, but her hand was warm and comforting. Sesshoumaru's gaze darkened, before he backed away, releasing her wrist.

She fought not to feel stung by the rejection, after all she'd hurt him in much worse ways.

Sesshoumaru looked down at her a moment, expression indeterminable, before he turned and walked away. Kagome watched him go, words dying on her tongue and an ache pulsing in her chest.

OOO

Dead leaves swayed in the air, crossing her path when a gust of wind sent them tumbling across the ground. Kagome kept her head down as she walked, tears locked behind her eyes. At least she'd finally said it, that was the only solace she could take in what had just happened.

Kagome sighed heavily, and finally looked up, noticing she was in front of the store. She didn't need to buy anything, but maybe a look inside would take her mind off things until it was time to use the marble.

She entered the store, blue eyes scanning the items along the shelves in a distracted fashion. She bumped into someone and quickly apologized. "Ah, sorry."

Looking up however, Kagome's gut twisted and she violently jerked away. She didn't know why she hadn't noticed Naraku, but she felt like he'd just materialized out of her dark thoughts. This was the last thing she needed.

He smiled in that horrible, twisted way of his. "Miss Higurashi, how nice to see you again."

"Cut the crap, this isn't a coincidence. It never is with you."

"Hm, you're right," Naraku leaned forward, and something inside Kagome quailed. "A little bird told me of Hiten's actions last night, a very foolish mistake on his part. Tell me, where is the marble?"

Her eyes widened, and she suddenly feared for Souten and Hiten. "You hardly need to punish Hiten. I'm going to use it later."

Naraku chuckled lowly, his eyes flashing with delight. "Really? Hm..." He quieted, seeming to think for a moment. When his gaze locked on her once more however, his red eyes smiled. "Well I'm afraid as good news as that is, it isn't enough to satisfy me."

Kagome took a step back, her hands closing into fists as she fought not to tremble. "What do you mean?"

His hand shot out and grabbed hold of her chin painfully, his fingers strong, grip tight. He stared into her eyes, looking for something intently. Kagome had froze with shock, eyes wide. Despite this, his lips turned down. "I'm not convinced you're desperate enough to use it yet. If you were, there'd be no hesitation. No, I don't think you've suffered nearly enough." He uttered, voice soft like a caress.

Kagome's gaze hardened, and her arms rose automatically, shoving him away from her with a sharp burst of reiki at her fingertips.

Naraku only chuckled, even as his chest steamed with burns from her holy powers. His eyes were alight with cruelty. "Whats more, you need to learn who's really in control here Kagome, and it certainly isn't you."

His image suddenly wavered, before disappearing completely, in his place was a golem with strands of dark hair wrapped around it.  _A demon puppet? Naraku's able to use these even in this illusion?_

Kagome turned sharply as the building began to shake, and a loud bang made her wince. She stumbled almost loosing her footing, and felt her heart drum in fear as the ceiling suddenly collapsed above her. Diving to the floor, Kagome scrambled to get away from the debris, dust covering her vision.

She lay flat next to one of the shelves that dipped forward, shielding her.

Silence followed, and it was only when the quiet continued did Kagome hesitantly raise her head. She sat up, finding herself unharmed, though covered in dust. Coughing against the smoke still in the air, Kagome stood, finding the exist completely sealed off by the collapsed roof. She seemed to be shut in. Dread clawed at her stomach.

She couldn't understand it, wasn't using the marble enough for him?

A cough alerted her to someone else's presence, and she turned in alarm. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Kagome noticed something moving under stray rubble, and quickly pushed the debris away, her eyes widening.

Hojo coughed again, but smiled up at her. "O-oh Kagome, thank goodness we're both okay."

"Hojo, what are you-I mean...are you alright?"

He nodded, sitting up, looking around them in surprise. "What happened?"

"I don't know." She was unsure why Naraku had shut her in there.  _He said he wanted me to suffer, but how is he going to do that?_

Kagome helped the boy to his feet, and instructed him to look around. She climbed up on top of the fallen bricks and tried to push the large chunks of the collapsed building aside, but none of them would budge.

Sighing, she gazed around the room, finding no other doors. The cashier at the front desk wasn't in sight, and she hoped they were okay. Steeling herself, she tried her best to shift the wreckage.

OOO

A light breeze teased at the ends of his hair, but Sesshoumaru didn't notice, so lost in thought. He stood alone at the top of a road, the highest point in the fake illusion he'd found that overlooked the small chunk of the city they lived in. No one seemed to care he'd stopped in the middle of the street. It was so quiet and still, but his mind was buzzing with activity.

He was unsure what to feel, what to do. A part of him had wanted to snatch the marble from Kagome, take the choice out of her hands and into his. But Sesshoumaru's pride was a force to be reckoned with, and he would not stoop to stealing when the choice was ultimately hers.

His claws bit into his palm, drawing blood, but his blank expression didn't change. His heart roared with pain, his sightless eyes recalling her words over and over.

She'd been honest at the very least, had told him when she didn't need to, since she were planning on using the marble. But that did nothing to lessen the ache in his chest. Sesshoumaru wondered which moments between them had been genuine or fake on her part, and his heart chest clenched at the thought of Valentines.

How quick he'd been to call humans foolish, when he himself had fallen prey to their 'whims,' their  _love_. Sesshoumaru scoffed,  _ridiculous_. But he knew it to be true. He'd wanted to mate her, bind her to him.

The desire had crept upon him and struck without mercy. If he recalled correctly, the first time he'd truly noticed her was in his world, back when they'd fought Naraku.

He'd noticed her strength, thought her a somewhat decent ally to say she was so loud and brash.

Later, it was her feats of kindness, as she cared for Rin when she was ill without even being asked. He'd thought her absurd, since she'd stayed awake all night and neglected her own health in the process, but also somewhat...interesting.

Other events, thoughtless, small things that he hadn't turned over in his mind before continued to amount. Sesshoumaru eventually found that above all, the miko Kagome was someone he could not ignore.

That feeling had intensified since coming to this world, had lived within him even when he'd had no prior memories of her.

Now he stood lost in the encompassing sensation. He'd let himself want her, desire her, plan a future set around her.

How foolish he'd been.

Sesshoumaru sighed, smiling ruefully. "Ridiculous."

"You said it, not me." A voice pipped up.

His eyes slid down to Shippo, who frowned at him. "Can you seriously blame her for lying to you under the circumstances?"

Sesshoumaru wanted to dismiss the fox kit, but something bid him to reply. "It is more than that, this one was a means to end."

"That might have been true at the start, but you and I both know Kagome's not a great liar. When she was with you, did you sense disgust, or indifference, anything like that from her?" Shippo looked up, but the Daiyoukai didn't answer. He hadn't of course, but the kit seemed too smug.

"Didn't think so. Bet it was stuff like happiness and warm fuzzies." The knowing look in Shippo's eye changed into regret.

"None of this is her fault you know, its mine. So if you want to blame someone, blame me. Please don't hate Kagome." His sentence ended in a whisper.

Sesshoumaru stood unwavering, and seemingly cold. But Shippo could see something behind his eyes, something unsure. It was strange to see it, the demon was a picture of intimidation after all, but it made him somehow relatable.

Maybe Rin had been right about the two of them after all.

Before Sesshoumaru could reply, he noticed two figures descending from the sky on a cloud.

The Thunder Brothers.

From the looks of it, they had their weapons ready, and seemed intent on something on the ground. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, and he recalled that the miko had left the house earlier.

"Go back home Shippo." He said to the kit, summoning his youki and flying into the air. The fox kit blinked, having not seen the two brothers, but smiled at the use of his name.

In the air, Sesshoumaru's blood roared in his veins, and his hand automatically flexed, claws sharp and ready.


	23. The Toll

The wreckage was impossible to move. Great chucks of the ceiling were sprawled in a massive heap, too heavy to lift even with Hojo's help. Kagome sighed, wiping her brow as she tried to clear a path through.

She was quiet as she worked, barely looking a Hojo, who asked every so often if she was alright. Kagome was too lost in thought to give a decent reply, wondering how Sesshoumaru was doing. Her chest ached at the thought, and she shoved it away, deciding to focus on something else.

Hiten had said that Naraku had been a part of her, her nightmares, her darkest fears. She hadn't really had a chance to think about what that meant, but now that she did, dread welled up in her stomach.

She wasn't even sure what her darkest fears were. On the surface people seemed to fear things like spiders, heights or small spaces. In the feudal era, Sango feared for her brother, Miroku his wind tunnel, Shippo losing his new family, and Inuyasha's was being unable to save Kikyo. But Kagome?

The only speck of darkness in her had been her jealousy over Kikyo, but times had changed now. She supposed above all she was afraid of hurting the people she loved, her friends, family.

Kagome frowned. Naraku knew this, so why trap her in here? Was he going to hurt someone outside and laugh as she failed to help them?

Hojo spoke up, breaking her out of her musings. "I don't think we can move this stuff Kagome. It's too heavy, and you don't want to strain yourself."

Kagome smiled, "you're probably right, but I need to do something. I can't just sit here."

She suddenly had an idea, and nearly smacked herself on the forehead. Summoning her aura, she spread it out beyond the store, searching for any demonic presence.

A sharp burst of cool, calming energy brushed against hers, and Kagome's eyes widened. "Sesshoumaru's outside!"

She felt another aura suddenly rise up, snapping hers away. It was thunder energy. Before she could grasp onto Sesshoumaru's aura again, the connection was abruptly shut off.

"Hiten's there too, I can feel them. It's like something's blocking me though, not the wreckage but...another barrier?"

It was probably Naraku's doing, her eyes narrowed.

Hojo watched her in awe, "you can tell all that from here? Wow Kagome, you really are amazing."

Kagome smiled weakly, and turned back to the rubble. She hoped that Sesshoumaru had managed to sense her before they'd been cut off.

Hojo continued, cheeks heating slightly as he looked down. "I-I've been meaning to talk to you for some time. I'm kind of happy we're in here actually, it gives me a chance to finally say it."

Her hand paused as she was about to pick up some stray debris. A flutter of panic echoed in her heart, and she quelled the urge to run away, immediately uneasy. Shaking herself, she hoped he would drop the subject if she just brushed it off, and instead focused her attention on what little she could feel from outside.

OOO

He'd felt it, the gentle sensation of warmth brushing against him. Sesshoumaru looked down at the building below him that was faintly shimmering with a dark barrier. Kagome was being held inside, he was now certain of it. Unfortunately he had a minor complication to deal with before he could free her.

Hiten swung his blade in the air, lunging towards him. Sesshoumaru's hand shimmered a bright yellow, before he stuck through the air. A thin line of energy swept in an arch towards Hiten. The energy whip lashed at his arm, parrying his thunder pike before it could slice into the demon lord.

Hiten laughed and ducked aside as Manten opened his jaws, shooting a burst of lightning towards the Daiyoukai. Sesshoumaru dodged, eyes narrowing in annoyance. If he were at his usual strength these cretins could be defeated easily. At it was, his movements were stiff, his body tiring with every burst of youki he used to stay in the air. The demon lord had tried to act smart by leaving Bakusaiga behind at home, since it used to much of his energy.

Now he wished he'd brought it with him, perhaps it would've ended the fight quicker, even if it meant using the last of his strength. Sesshoumaru sneered, _how humiliating._

"This didn't have to happen you know. If that selfish miko just used the marble like I told her to, I'd be on her side. But it seems I was right all along, she's too weak to make the choice." Hiten frowned, frustration flashing in his eyes.

Sesshoumaru levelled his flat gaze at the thunder demon. "The miko was going to use the marble today, vermin. Naraku has deceived you."

Hiten's expression darkened, it was obvious he didn't believe him. He lunged with all his strength once more. Sparks of lightning flashed in her air as Sesshoumaru had no choice but to meet his attack head on. He parried with a sweep of his claws, releasing his poison when Hiten was in range.

The thunder demon roared in pain as the poison splattered onto his clothes, eating into the material and eventually his skin. Sesshoumaru would have killed him right there if he hadn't felt a blinding pain shoot into his back. He grit his teeth, feeling burns catch at his shoulder blades. He turned to find Manten grinning in delight.

"Hey! What the heck is going on dog breath?"

Sesshoumaru looked down at the wolf demon, and smoothed his expression. "That much should be obvious, wolf."

Koga frowned, "where's Kagome?"

The Daiyoukai cut his eyes to the sky, before dodging an attack from Hiten. He took this opportunity to fly to the ground, hopeful he wouldn't have to use as much youki this way.

"She is trapped in there." He gestured to the store, which glowed faintly black and purple. Koga nodded and turned to the brothers, cracking his knuckles. "Alright then, if it's a fight to help Kagome count me in."

Manten laughed, "you fools, you will soon meet your end! Take this!"

Sesshoumaru sprung away from the blast levelled at both demons before it could hit. When he turned back he noticed Koga had now jumped into the air, his fist raised.

His battle cry was short lived however, as an exclamation icon popped into the air next to him. Koga abruptly crashed into an invisible screen, and landed in mid air on another invisible platform.

"Ow! W-what the hell?" He muttered, rubbing his sore head.

Sesshoumaru looked on with interest as the two thunder brothers paused in their attacks, looking at the wolf. They burst into laughter, and Koga stood up, walking on seemingly nothing as he felt around himself, finding four walls surrounding him that he couldn't see.

"Looks like someone angered the illusion, since you can't see it the sign next to you says; Punishment for breaking the rules is in session." Hiten chuckled, eyes glittering with mirth.

"You gotta be shitting me! No way!" Koga yelled, punching one of the walls. It had no effect, and he wandered the small space he was enclosed in with a perplexed look on his face.

He glanced down at Sesshoumaru and shrugged apologetically, while the demon lord fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose.  _Fantastic._

Inside the store, there was a metal pipe jutting out from the debris. Kagome was certain that by taking it out, the wreckage above it would collapse and free some space to climb out. She called Hojo over, who kept trying to find the right words for what he wanted to say. Kagome focused on the task at hand, and instructed him to grab the end of the pipe.

Gripping it tightly, she braced herself. "Okay Hojo, ready? On the count of three-"

"O-of course Kagome but-"

"One, two, three!" Kagome pulled with everything she had, her feet planted firmly on the ground. Hojo tried his best, his fingers turned white with strain as he pulled.

The pipe shifted forward suddenly, and Kagome stumbled from the unexpected jolt. She fell back against Hojo, who steadied her around her waist, blushing.

Kagome laughed awkwardly and righted herself, glancing back at him. "Thanks Hojo."

He smiled. "No problem." When he looked at her however, his expression morphed into one of concern. "Uh Kagome? What is it?"

Her face had turned pale, eyes wide as she stared at a point next to his shoulder. Hojo frowned in confusion as she took a step back.

His Love Meter was at indigo. As she stared, Kagome traced her mind back, trying to remember when it had last gone up, why it had changed. She hadn't done anything! Had she?

She'd hidden in the closet with him in Naraku's office, had it risen then? Thinking back, she vaguely recalled seeing him when she'd gotten drunk last night.  _Oh great, who knows what I said to him!_

Hojo blushed under her intense stare, and smiled. "I'm definitely glad we got stuck here Kagome."

"W-what? Why?" Her voice was thin.

He took a step closer, embarrassed but determined. "You've never looked at me this way before, it makes me really happy. I think maybe now...I've found the courage to tell you my feelings."

Kagome felt panic grip her heart, and willed herself to spontaneously combust. This was bad, very very bad.  _Why is it?_  Her logical mind whispered.  _If Sesshoumaru is going to forget me when I use the marble anyway, what harm would it do to win with Hojo? I'd be free at least._

This was true, but her stomach buckled and every cell in her body was screaming in protest. She needed to stop him.

"Hojo, I-I'm sorry I think I know what you're going to say, please don't. I really like you, but as a friend, a good friend. This probably isn't what you want to hear but...I'm in love with someone else." Kagome breathed out heavily, her heart beat slowing down.

She'd hoped that would be it, that he could accept her words and they'd wave it off. Unfortunately Hojo gave such a serene smile Kagome wondered if he'd even heard her.

He stepped forward and held onto her shoulders gently. "That doesn't matter to me Kagome, it wont ever change the way I feel about you. You don't need someone to love you back to feel it."

A buzzing noise rattled in her ears as her head swam. It felt like she'd stood up too quickly. Kagome went to step away, but his hands tightened unexpectedly as his blue eyes looked at her in earnest. She wanted to cry his words were so sweet, but her eyes strayed to the Love Meter.

Her stomach dropped. It rose to violet before her very eyes. All that was needed was a final push over the pink marker and everyone would be free, but why did she feel so terribly sick with dread?

OOO

"What the hell are you doing up there idiot? From the looks of it this is no time to be slacking off!" Inuyasha yelled, frowning at the wolf prince, who looked like he was hovering in mid air. He had no idea what was going on, but he'd heard the blasts and had decided to investigate.

Koga growled. "I'm not, you moron! I got punished by the game so now I'm in this weird box. I tried to help Sesshoumaru but..."

A blast came roaring towards him, which Sesshoumaru intercepted, glaring over his shoulder at the wolf. Koga sweat dropped. "It turns out I kind of made things worse. This box doesn't protect me from their attacks."

Inuyasha frowned and leaped into the air, landing on top of the box. "So you're a sitting duck basically?"

"What'd you call me?!"

Inuyasha ignored him and pulled out Tetsusaiga from it's sheath. He shouted at Sesshoumaru, who had landed on the ground. "Hey Sesshoumaru! Bad friggin time to forget your sword!"

The Daiyoukai's lip curled, but he said nothing. Inuyasha jumped off the box and joined the fight, aiming a blast at Hiten. When the thunder brother dodged however, Sesshoumaru was ready for him.

He struck his energy whip through the air, and with a quick slice, one of the wheels that kept Hiten in the sky broke to pieces.

Before Inuyasha had shown up, he'd managed to destroy the other wheel, but was annoyed to find that Hiten stayed mobile only with one. Now the thunder demon stumbled to the ground, his eyes wide.

Manten was unfortunately able to stay in the air, since he sat on a dark cloud that moved as he willed. He opened his jaws and sent another lightning blast at Sesshoumaru, managing to catch his arm. Sesshoumaru paid it no mind, and watched as Inuyasha unleashed a burst of power from Tetsusaiga. The black streaks in his hair seemed to seep into other strands the more he used his attacks.

Sesshoumaru grit his teeth, "Inuyasha. You are using too much youki, sheath Tetsusaiga."

Inuyasha growled, dodging another blast. "I'm a little busy here! I'm not using this sword as a luxury ya know? I kind of need it if I'm gonna beat these guys."

He leaped off from the box once more and swiped at Manten, grazing his shoulder with the blade. Manten cried out in outrage.

Hiten's eyes widened. "Brother!"

Sesshoumaru levelled a flat stare at the elder demon. "Why do this? What is the purpose in keeping Kagome detained?"

A dark look crossed Hiten's face, before he smiled. "I don't know, Naraku said to leave her be, so I'll respect his wishes for now."

"Only fools follow orders blindly." Sesshoumaru said, eyes cold.

"I'd do anything to save my sister. If this is it, then I'll gladly separate your head from your shoulders." Hiten grinned, raising his thunder pike.

 _Naraku know's you'd do anything for her, vermin. You're all too easy for him to use as a pawn._  Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, and he was about to leap forward when he felt it.

A strong sense of dread and panic.

His golden eyes shifted to the store not too far away, and his chest tightened. Kagome was frightened.

Sesshoumaru's image blurred and at once he was standing in front of the building, his claws colliding with the barrier around it. Releasing his poison, he tried several times to break through, before he had to dodge out the way of a blast of lightning.

"Hey! Keep away from there! You're fighting me, remember?" Hiten yelled, raising the pike once more.

Sesshoumaru ignored him and carried on, launching as many attacks as possible. Her fear was so palpable it was the only thing he could smell. His claws sharpened as they clashed against the barrier.

His eyes flashed red.  _What is it? Why are you so afraid?_

OOO

"Hojo stop, I don't want to hear it! Please just shut up!" The words burst from her, and Kagome stared up at him wide eyed.

Hojo looked taken aback, his hands sliding from her shoulders, but the Love Meter didn't drop. He stared at her for a long moment, noticing her quick breaths and worried expression.

"I didn't mean to upset you Kagome I just- I've wanted to tell you for so long." She felt a stab of guilt, and looked away.

"I know, and I shouldn't have ignored your feelings. I'm so sorry." Kagome sighed, she'd done the same thing back home, in the real world.

His tentative voice broke the awkward silence. "Can I ask...can I ask who you have feelings for?"

Kagome bit her lip, unsure whether to tell him. Her heart was thundering in her chest as she raised her gaze to his. "Sesshoumaru."

Hojo stared at her, white as a sheet. He stood frozen for several moments, before chocking out; "M-Mr. Taisho? You're living with him aren't you? I thought you were just his guest. Is it really more than that?"

Before she could open her mouth, Hojo continued, his voice cracking as he stepped closer to her.

"B-besides he's a teacher! And that stuff we overheard while in the closet was all about him upsetting Mr. Onigumo and your mother. It's no wonder they were anxious for you to go home. You shouldn't get mixed up with him Kagome. I think its dangerous."

Kagome shook her head and raised her hand, putting it on his shoulder to try and placate him. "Hojo calm down, Sesshoumaru's not dangerous. He helps me, makes me happy. I don't know what you think you heard in that closet but Naraku and my mom aren't worried for me, they want to control me."

She looked at the Love Meter in paranoia, her heart shuddering with fear.

Hojo's blue eyes remained concerned, he boldly took her hand in his and held it tight. "I wish I could believe you, but I've never trusted Mr. Taisho, he's cold and hard to talk to. You shouldn't be with a man like that Kagome, you should be with someone who's warm and will listen to you, be there any time you want."

Kagome started when she felt his other hand cup her cheek. His palms were clammy, fingers shaking. But his gaze was strong, unwavering.

"I could...I could be that someone, because I'd do all those things and more. If its for you I'd do anything."

Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth in protest. A flash of insight suddenly told her exactly why Naraku had sealed her in here. "Hojo don't!-"

"Because I love you-"

Kagome's gaze snapped to the Love Meter, the cold breath of fear dancing across her skin. Her throat constricted, and her stomach clenched tight as she watched the meter slowly rise up.

Everything moved so fast it was hard for her to entirely recall what happened next.

The meter had been rising in a steady flow up to the maximum marker. But before it could reach the top, barely a hair's breadth away from freedom, Hojo chocked. Kagome felt something wet hit her face, like flecks of water.

Her eyes turned back to him, only to open her mouth in a silent scream.

A sharp talon jutted out of his chest, thrust straight through his heart.

Hojo's blue eyes were wide as they stared at her, and she watched as the light faded from their dark depths. Naraku stood behind him, red eyes bright in the shadows.

He tossed the boy away from him like a rag doll. Hojo's body hit the floor with a sickening thud.

Kagome had been shocked silent up until that point, her body frozen in horror. A sharp burst of emotion rose up in her throat, finally giving her words again.

"Hojo!" She screamed, voice shrill even to her own ears.

She ran forward frantically and collapsed to her knees next to him. His eyes were glassy, blood flowed from the wound.

"Hojo?" She quivered.

Kagome rested her head on his chest, but heard no heartbeat. She tried his wrist, his neck, telling herself she'd just missed the pulse, but inside she knew the truth.

He was already gone. She couldn't even try to save him, couldn't say goodbye.

"He was never alive to begin with my dear. Why mourn him?" Naraku inquired, voice laced with amusement.

A sick, twisted feeling rose up in her chest. Her body quaked, shaking with disbelief, shock and grief. Kagome breathed raggedly, her eyes taking in Hojo's lifeless body. It didn't matter that he'd been an illusion, he'd felt as real to her as he had back home, as real as a living person.

Kagome chocked, her hands clenching into fists. Outrage overtook the shock, and Kagome launched herself at Naraku, fingers brimming with reiki.

She tried to grab him, hit him, but he danced out of reach easily.

"You bastard! Why did you do that! He didn't deserve this, he did nothing wrong! He's not even a part of this!" Kagome yelled, tears pricking her eyes.

"That's where you're wrong my dear. He's been a part of this since day one. I warned you not to get too close to him." Naraku smiled, face twisted into a grotesque, cutting grin.

Kagome stopped, breathing heavily as she trembled. "You- you planned this didn't you? You put him in here with me! Just to...to make me suffer?"

"Certainly. You were far too complacent, and he was so trusting, so easily won. I'm somewhat sad to be rid of him though, he was an awfully good spy." He mused to himself. The hand that had plunged through Hojo's chest rested on Naraku's chin in thought, still covered in blood.

Kagome felt sick, "w-what are you talking about?"

She could tell he relished her pain and confusion. His eyes warmed, until they seemed almost kind. "He watched you of his own accord, but whenever I saw him all I needed to do was ask and he'd tell me everything. An incredibly dumb and trusting spy, but a spy none the less. I hope you enjoyed hiding in my closet, by all accounts though, you didn't like what you heard?"

Kagome's hands trembled at her sides, tears pricked her eyes. She fought not to come undone in front of him, but she felt so cold, so breakable.

Naraku continued, voice smooth and almost husky. "A pity you couldn't do anything about it. But now you've learned, my dear Kagome."

Before she could flinch back from him in time, his hand that was coated in blood caressed the side of her face. Kagome made a noise caught between disgust and a broken sob. Only her eyes remained stony and hate filled, glaring up at him with dark intent.

Naraku shivered in pleasure and smiled, turning away from her. "When you do decide to use the marble, treat it as the shikon jewel. Wish on it to send your friends home, and all will be well. There will be no more need for bloodshed."

Kagome's fists shook at her sides. "H-Hiten said you were crafted from my nightmares, that you're a part of me." She whispered, feeling nauseous.

His eyes flashed when he looked back at her. "I know. He shouldn't have told you without my permission. But I suppose there's no hiding the truth now."

Naraku's expression shifted into one of dark satisfaction, his teeth flashing. "Gives us a very  _intimate_  relationship doesn't it?"

His shadow fell away, leaving Kagome alone in the dark. She shuddered violently, before sinking to the floor, clutching her hands together. They slowly wrapped around herself, trying to hold the cold at bay. But the feeling was trapped inside her, and wouldn't be worn away.

OOO

Sesshoumaru's clawed hand finally broke through the barrier, his body automatically urging onwards. Before he could reach the store however, a blast of lightning reigned down from the sky. He turned on his heel in time to avoid it, his eyes finding Manten racing towards him on his cloud.

Sesshoumaru was prepared to ignore him and race on towards Kagome, when suddenly the air changed. The ugly, sickening smell of miasma caught his nose, and he turned in disbelief only to find Naraku standing before him.

He smiled, lips twisted up with mirth. The Daiyoukai could only see the blood on his hand resting at his side, and he quickly took in its scent, stomach twisting with dread.

It wasn't hers. Still, the sight of the spider hanyou right in front of him was enough to spur him forwards, claws raised.

Naraku smiled, his image blurring as he jumped back, hand morphing into a long talon that shot out into the air. Sesshoumaru advanced on him quickly, heat roaring in his veins with blood lust as he brought his claws down.

His hand met flesh, sharp deadly fingers tore muscle and bone. Sesshoumaru stared down at Manten in surprise. Naraku had grabbed the thunder demon, at the last second, using him as a shield. Sesshoumaru stepped back, vaguely hearing Hiten cry out in shock and despair. The Daiyoukai had no time to feel remorse however, his eyes sought and found Naraku, standing in the shade of the building.

As Hiten grabbed onto Manten, cradling him in his arms, Naraku spoke up. "Seems that your slip of the tongue last night has cost you dearly Hiten. Please be more mindful of your masters wishes from now on."

With a smile, he melted away into the shadows.

Sesshoumaru grit his teeth and in a flash, found himself standing before the sealed entrance to the store. He broke through the debris without much difficulty, his energy whip making short work of the heavier parts of the wreckage. Inuyasha joined him in the ruined entrance, his eyes widening at the sight of Kagome.

"Holy shit, Kagome are you alright? What happened?"

Sesshoumaru remained glued on the spot as the hanyou rushed past him to kneel next to the empty looking girl. He didn't move when Miroku and Ayame appeared, looking confused and concerned. He took in the sickly pale on her cheeks, her vacant expression and hollow eyes. His own eyes drifted down to the broken body in front of her, and though she didn't cry he could see the tremble in her shoulders.

It was in that moment that he became entirely aware of the burden of the game, and the effect it was having onKagome.

He could only watch as the boy named Hojo started to fade away. This broke Kagome out of her dazed state and she quickly reached forward, hands meeting nothing but air as his image shimmered before disappearing completely.

Kagome's hands stayed frozen, still outstretched as Ayame pulled her into a hug. Miroku put a hand on her shoulder.

Sesshoumaru's heart twisted in his chest, a continuous, dull pain pulsing throughout his body. All he could do was watch.

OOO

When they returned to the mansion, Miroku took Shippo aside and told him what happened. Koga had escaped the game's punishment, and had confusedly asked Ayame about what was going on. Hiten had been sat, staring at a spot infront of him in much the same way Kagome had, outside the store. Sesshoumaru could only conclude that Mantans body had disappeared aswell. When the thunder demon had looked up at him however, Sesshoumaru couldn't tell if it was hatred in his eyes or resignation.

He felt a measure of regret for killing the younger brother, but his mind was mostly occupied by the miko, whom he hadn't spoken one word to. Kagome had gone upstairs to have a shower as soon as they'd returned home. No one asked about the marble, and Inuyasha gave up asking about what had happened before they'd arrived.

Ayame asked if Kagome was alright, but the miko had just turned and gave a false smile.

"I'll be okay Ayame, really."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, and he looked upstairs. Something gnawed at his insides, and his claws itched to scrape against his palm. What she'd told him just hours before felt inconsequential, and though it still somewhat hurt to think about, he found that none of it really felt like it mattered. What mattered was her, _them_. His pride and feelings were stung, but that didn't compare with how he felt about her overall.

"Kagome's taking a long time." Said Shippo worriedly.

Inuyasha huffed, crossing his arms as he sat in the living room. "Leave her alone brat, she probably wants some time to herself."

Sesshoumaru blinked, raising his head. Something was wrong. It felt like he'd overlooked something important.

Kagome stood in the shower, a hot spray beating down on her shaking body. Water fell in rivets down her spine, and soaked into her hair, making it fall into her eyes. Naraku had been right of course, Hojo hadn't been real, but to her he'd felt it. It didn't matter whether he'd been something she'd dreamed up, telling herself this didn't seem to lessen the ache. But what terrified her the most about Hojo's death was that she knew what it meant.

First it would just be the illusions, but then Naraku would move onto the real thing. Her friends, Shippo, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru. They were all in Naraku's sights, in potential danger.

Which was why she now held the marble in her trembling fingers. The steam from the shower fogged up the glass surrounding her, almost as if it were encasing her. Kagome's chest rose and fell as tears rolled down her cheeks, mingling with the water falling down on her.

Deep, hard sobs broke from her lips as her hand covered her mouth. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut tightly, and took a long breath.

_'When you do decide to use the marble, treat it as the shikon jewel. Wish on it to send your friends home, and all will be well. There will be no more need for bloodshed'_

When she removed her hand, her breath shuddered once. Her blue eyes opened to look at the marble, her vision blurry.  _The shikon jewel, huh? It feels kind of fitting, after all that thing caused nothing but trouble too._

Kagome's hand tightened around the marble. "I-I wish-"

The door abruptly opened wide on its hinges, cold air pouring into the shower. Kagome turned in surprise. Sesshoumaru stood in the doorway, eyes locking on hers that were filled with tears. When he silently looked at the marble in her hand, Kagome shifted, unsure whether to shield her nude self, dry her eyes or hide the marble. Somehow though, she didn't feel the expected rush of embarrassment or anger at him disturbing her shower, in fact something loosened in her chest. The tears overflowed, and her empty expression cracked.

Kagome blinked as she suddenly found herself wrapped in a large white towel. A hand took hold of her wrist, leading her gently out of the spray and gloom of the shower.

She started when arms wrapped around the towel as well, encasing her in a warm embrace. Kagome's eyes widened and she froze, utterly shocked. He was hugging her, even after what she'd said to him?

She didn't know what to do or say, but her hands rose of their own accord and gripped the back of his shirt tightly. As she leaned into his warmth, her shoulders began to shake, and she cried silently into his shoulder.

As Sesshoumaru held her, he let her scent wash over him, and though it was filled with nothing but loss and sadness, the sensation of her in his arms told him exactly what he needed to know.

It didn't matter what she'd done before, he didn't care. Kagome was his chosen mate and no force on earth would take her away from him.


	24. The Promise

When her tears had dried and her heart had calmed in her chest, Kagome simply stood with Sesshoumaru for awhile. It felt warm and safe there, in his arms. Kagome smiled, and finally lifted her head from his chest. He was pleased to sense a slight ray of happiness shine into her scent, and gave a small smile of his own.

When her smile turned wistful however, Sesshoumaru felt a dull pang of unease.

"T-thank you, I really needed that."

She looked away. "I'm such a mess, huh? I should be able to wish everyone away easily, it's the right thing to do after all. I can't believe I hesitated."

His arms tightened around her, and Kagome's eyes lowered. It was hard to talk about it, but it needed to be said.

"You will not use the marble tonight. Wait at least one more day before using it, as a last resort." He all but commanded, eyes stony.

Kagome's gaze snapped to him, her mouth opening in protest. "Are you serious? I can't do that! Naraku's already killed someone, and everyone's nearly drained of youki. I can't wait around any longer."

"Yes you can. We will use what time we have left vigilantly, and focus our efforts on raising the Love Meter to the maximum marker." His expression was intense, eyes steady on her face. She could tell he meant every word.

Kagome attempted to move away, but he held fast. She frowned and shook her head. "I've tried that, I've been trying ever since I first came here. There's no way we can win in such a short time Sesshoumaru."

He didn't respond, and it was impossible to gauge his reaction.

Her hands threaded in his shirt tightly as she felt her heart ache. Biting her lip, she looked down. "Besides, you can't force yourself to love me."

She thought back to when she'd told him the truth, and the pain and betrayal that had been on his face. Maybe there was a time when he had loved her, enough to want to mate her, but what right did she have to hope for that from him now?

His breath dusted across her cheek, and Kagome felt fingers under her chin, lifting her gaze to his. Her eyes widened in shock when his lips suddenly pressed against hers in a searing kiss. Confusion and a fragile bloom of hope laced her scent. Her lashes fluttered, before lowering, and Kagome hands smoothed over his chest, fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt and pulling him closer without her realizing.

When the kiss became deeper, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but tighten his hold on her, going as far as to pull her against him, growling as her chest brushed his.

Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing their bodies flush against one another.

Sesshoumaru's hand ran up her back that was covered with a towel, only stopping at her bare shoulders. The feel of her was maddening, and he wanted to awaken more sensations between them, but he soon pulled away.

Their breaths mingled as he gazed at her quietly. His golden eyes were warm and soft. "I do not need to force myself to feel it." He murmured.

Kagome shivered at his words, something fragile folded within her, full of uncertainty but drowning in want. "E-even after what I've done?"

His expression told her all that she needed to know. He'd forgiven her for deceiving him, he really did want her.

Her breath shuddered out of her, and she sagged against him in relief. Tears pricked her eyes, but she held them back, giving a shaky smile.

A sudden chill from the cold bathroom had her adjusting the towel around her torso. Kagome laughed nervously. "S-sorry I'm suddenly aware that I'm pretty much naked."

"Hn, you're only just noticing?" He smiled, amused and making no attempt at averting his gaze.

She grinned and poked his chest lightly, "very funny. I suppose seeing me in the shower is some sort of payback for when I saw you, but don't go getting any idea's Mr. Taisho." Her voice dipped teasingly.

Sesshoumaru's eyes warmed, and his fingers dragged across her back before he leaned in and kissed her once more. Kagome sighed against his lips, happiness blossoming in her scent.

He pulled back until there was a breath of space between their lips. "I'm afraid dissuading me from such carnal thoughts would be impossible miko."

When he finally put some distance between them, Kagome was blushing once more.

His eyes were dark, voice laced with velvet, but something quiet and serious lurked beneath his calm face when he said; "Promise me that you will not use the marble today Kagome."

Her brows furrowed and she looked him over worriedly. "You're pale, you used allot of youki earlier didn't you?"

"I'm fine, you need not worry. This one was careful." He leveled his gaze at her once more. "Promise me."

Kagome stared at him, knowing he wouldn't take no for an answer. She got the feeling that even if they didn't win after today, he'd try to stop her from using the marble again."I won't but...what about Souten? She'll need more youki. And the Love Meter, what can we do to raise it?"

Sesshoumaru stepped towards the door, "the Wolf Prince can spare some energy for the thunder demon. As for the Meter...where is it raised to now?"

Kagome was startled to find it had moved slightly above the indigo marker. "It's at indigo."

"Then there are only two more markers to reach." He said, eyes full of conviction.

When he reached the door, Kagome quickly stepped forward, worry making her wring her hands. "Sesshoumaru."

He glanced back at her, and she smiled shakily. "If it's okay, I'd like to ask a favor."

Seeing a nod of consent, Kagome took a breath. "In case the worst happens and I'm left here alone, I'd like to learn something new from you, a technique, maybe a new weapon."

"Why?"

She looked away, brow wrinkling in thought. "I have a theory that Naraku only know's the old me, since he was crafted from my nightmares when I first came here. I feel like I've changed a little since then, and a new technique would surprise him, catch him off guard, I'm sure of it. I'd like to start learning it tonight if possible."

Sesshoumaru regarded her carefully. The stubborn, prideful part of him wanted to assure her that such a thing wouldn't come to pass, she wouldn't be left alone. But he couldn't promise that, so this plan was a smart alternative. Still, the thought of her left solely in the company of Naraku set his teeth on edge.

"Very well, meet me downstairs once you're ready."

When he left Kagome dried herself and got changed, still shaken over Hojo, but trying not to picture it. She felt tired and drained from all the crying. She knew training was more important however, and quickly shook off the weary feeling. When she joined Sesshoumaru in the living room, Shippo was also waiting for her.

"Sesshoumaru told me the plan, I think it's a great idea Kagome! Is there anything I can do to help?"

Kagome was about to invite Shippo to train with her, but Inuyasha interrupted. "Keh, you should know a kid hanging around would just get in the way. They need to be alone idiot."

Shippo pouted but seemed to understand. Kagome rose a brow, looking at Sesshoumaru questioningly. So they all knew about the plan to raise the Love Meter.

Inuyasha turned to her then. "The mangy wolf and his mate went to give Souten some youki, so you don't need to worry about her. Miroku's put some protection spells around the house too so just..."

He hesitated, and Kagome's brows furrowed. When he looked up at her, his golden eyes were raw and brimming with concern. "Just focus on yourself for once. Do what you need to do so that we can  _all_  get outta here together. Okay?"

A warm plume of affection spread across Kagome's features. She smiled, nodding. "Alright."

The hanyou grinned softly, and then turned on his heel, barking over his shoulder; "Lets get going Shippo, I ain't got all day!"

As he left the room, Shippo shook his head, muttering. "You're the one taking all day."

Kagome giggled lightly, but felt herself grow tense when Shippo glanced at her. His eyes were also worried. "I'll see you later, right Kagome?"

She smiled gently. "Of course silly."

Shippo was about to leave it at that, but a sudden burst of longing and fear filled his chest. He jumped into her arms and hugged her fiercely, something shaky in his heart. Kagome soothed him by running her hand up and down his back.

When he let go, Shippo looked up at the Daiyoukai, who regarded him solemnly. The fox kit nodded once, and then left the room, following Inuyasha out the door.

Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru, who wasted no time. He approached a door in the hallway and opened it, and Kagome blinked in surprise. There was a stairway leading downwards.

His golden eyes slid back to hers. "This one believes it would be best to train in the basement."

She nodded and smiled reassuringly at his assessing look. Trying to gauge her mood, Sesshoumaru eventually turned and continued down the flight of stairs.

Kagome took a breath to steady herself and followed him.

OOO

Elsewhere, Koga knocked on the bar door impatiently, disregarding the 'closed' sign hanging from it's window. Ayame placed a hand on his back, hoping to calm him. He glanced back at her and sighed.

"Why the hell is he taking so long to open the damn door?"

"He did just lose his brother Koga. He probably wants to be left alone." Ayame frowned, shaking her head and elbowing him out the way.

She then leaned towards the door, listening intently for any sounds from inside. "Hiten? We know you're in there, please let us in. We're not here to cause trouble, we just want to help Souten."

Koga growled in annoyance when no one answered, but Ayame tried again. "Listen, we'll give Souten some youki and then be one our way. If you let us do this, you wont have to worry about her losing all her energy."

Ayame waited. After a moment, there was a click, and the door reluctantly opened.

Hiten looked at them with narrowed eyes, but even Koga noticed the dark rings under them. His features seemed strained, as if he hadn't slept in weeks.

"Did Kagome send you?" Hiten sneered.

"Kind of, but we were worried about Souten too. She is a fellow demon after all, and she is..." Ayame struggled to finish her sentence, not wanting to be insensitive.

"Real, unlike me. Yeah I know and I get it." Hiten sighed, running his hand through his disheveled braided hair.

The thunder brother eyed them warily, before leading them inside. "I'll take you to her."

They followed him up a flight of stairs to a bedroom. When the door opened, Ayame peered past the two men to see a young girl sat on a bed. Souten looked even worse than her brother, both tired and sickly pale.

Souten glanced up, her features brightening instantly when she saw her brother. Hiten smiled in a way that was almost gentle. "Souten, come here. We have visitors."

She looked at Koga, instantly frowning and turning away from them. Hiten stepped forwards. "C'mon sis, they're here to help."

"Ha, I'm sure they are, just like when they helped Manten meet his end."

"Hey! We had nothing to do with that, besides he attacked  _us_!" Koga growled, about to continue when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Ayame looked at him meaningfully, before steeping towards the girl.

Souten glanced at her, eyes full of emotion. "Where's Kagome? I want to see her."

"Kagome's a bit busy right now, but we're here because she's worried about you. You must be feeling a little tired and drained right? We want to give you some youki to help with that."

Hiten watched them with interest, noting that Kagome still hadn't given up. He shook his head silently. That girl didn't know when to quit.

Souten eventually nodded, watching as Ayame sat next to her. Allowing the wolf demon to touch her forehead, she started in surprise when Koga stepped towards them.

"Ayame, let me do it."

She waved away his concern. "I want to do this Koga, beside you've used allot more of your youki than I have." When he didn't seem convinced, she flashed her fangs.

"Don't tell me you're getting all protective of me just because of what Kagome said. I might be your mate in the real world but you don't have to play the doting husband."

Koga recoiled as though stuck. He could sense a thin veil of pain lacing her words, and even as her forest green eyes glared furiously, he could see the vulnerability behind them. Did she think he hadn't wanted her in this world, so finding out they were mated felt like a cheap cop out? Like she hadn't been chosen?

Koga remembered spending cold spring mornings running along the track, with her just paces behind him. He didn't remember what it must have felt like to marry her, hold her, promise to keep her safe, but he knew the desire to had been there for a long time.

His eyes softened. "Don't be stupid, I cared about you even before she told us about that stuff."

Ayame blinked, blushing slightly. His voice had gentled, and his blue eyes shone with sincerity. For the longest time she'd wanted him to look at her like that.

She smiled, still blushing as she turned away to Souten, apologizing to the girl and putting a hand on her forehead again. As she gave her energy over, Hiten crossed his arms.

"I should start charging for marriage counselling." He muttered.

When Ayame had finished, Souten looked healthier and happier than she had in days. Hiten approached his sister, and Ayame left the bed to join Koga in the doorway.

Hiten knelt down in front of the small demon, who tilted her head questioningly. She blinked in surprise when he took hold of both her hands, his larger ones covering hers. Her heart thumped as her stomach dropped.

She knew what he was about to say, it was there in his eyes. Hiten smiled slightly, "you feel better sis? You had me worried there..."

Souten nodded quickly. "I'm fine Hiten, everything's alright."

His expression didn't change. Souten hated the calm and accepting look on his face. "You know what I'm gonna say. Everything's not alright, it hasn't been for some time. It's not right that you're staying here with me when doing so drains you. It's not right for you to walk with the mere memory of your brothers, when you could be out there in the real world, living life as you should."

"But I-"

"Save it. You have to go with them sis, you have to go back. I wont lie, I tried to make you leave using the marble." Hiten watched as tears gathered in her eyes. His hands squeezed hers, and she raised her chin to look at him pleadingly.

"I-I don't want to lose you again. I-I cant!"

Hiten shifted forward, his hand raising to cup her small face. His thumb brushed the tears away as they escaped her eyes. "What are you talkin about? Souten, me and Manten were born from your memories. Granted some of the memories from Kagome helped too, but yours were the ones that really breathed life into us. Without you, we'd be walking cardboard cutouts. It's your memories that made us real."

He smiled. "And since those memories came from in here," he tapped her head lightly, "we'll never truly be gone sis. As cheesy as it is, we really are with you every day. So you never really lost us. And you never will, okay?"

Souten's tears overflowed. She gave a cry as she launched herself into his arms. Her wails rang loud in the small room, and Koga's heart clenched. Ayame's own eyes began to water and she turned away, the memory of her grandfather flashing before her eyes.

Hiten hugged his sister close, his eyes closing as he remembered their childhood. It didn't matter if he was only a memory, he knew his words were true. He didn't need to fear death, because he wasn't really alive here, he was alive through Souten, and she was all that mattered to him.

When they pulled away and Souten's tears had dried, the older thunder demon accompanied them to the door. Ayame and Koga walked outside into the street, Ayame leaning on him for support every now and then as dizzy spells kept her unsteady.

She smiled at him weakly. "Even if I cant remember how it happened, I'm glad I'm your mate Koga."

Koga smiled, blushing slightly. "Me too, at least now I know why I've got this mark." He pulled the collar of his shirt down to reveal a bite mark on his collarbone.

"Yeah, I never understood why I had a mating mark either." Ayame rubbed her shoulder where her own mark lay.

They turned to where the thunder siblings were hugging in the doorway, and felt a pang of sympathy for them.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Koga asked, unsure what to say as Souten stepped away from her brother, love in her eyes.

"Yes, she's a strong girl. It'll take time, but the sooner we leave this place the better for everyone." Ayame smiled warmly as Souten approached them.

Souten wiped her eyes with her sleeve and tried to put on a brave face. Ayame's eyes gentled. "If you're ready Souten, we'll be leaving now."

Souten nodded, and began walking with them. She told herself not to look back, but the desire to was too strong, and in the end she turned to see her brother for the last time.

Hiten watched her from the doorway, leaning against the frame. She painted the picture of his image clearly into her memories once more, particularly his smile, before turning the corner and losing him from sight.

Shaking with grief, Souten shoved down her pride and grabbed onto Koga's offered hand, holding it tightly as they walked away.

OOO

Kagome breathed heavily, and collapsed into a chair once they reached the living room once more. The new skills were fresh and ingrained in her mind, but she tried not to dwell on them too long. She wasn't entirely sure how Naraku operated, and a part of her feared he could read her very thoughts, though that was unlikely.

_Besides, I have to focus on the Love Meter now._

She brought a hand to her head, feeling weariness sway her. As her head bowed, fingers tilted her chin up, and she found Sesshoumaru much closer than she anticipated.

"You should rest." He said softly.

Kagome shook her head. "No way, I cant spend what time we have left napping. I'll sleep after we've returned home."

"While I do agree, your scent is telling my instincts to assure you rest. If you do not, I cannot guarantee this Sesshoumaru will focus on the task at hand. Therefore no matter what action we took, the Love Meter would not rise."

Kagome giggled lightly at his serious explanation. "You have a very convincing argument there." She covered up a yawn with her hand and Sesshoumaru frowned at her.

Seeing his look, she sighed. "Fine, but only for an hour, promise me you'll wake me up after that."

He nodded, "I give my word."

Smiling, she stood up and since he hadn't straightened yet, kissed him on his forehead, right on the crescent moon. His eyes caught hers once she'd pulled away, and he straightened stiffly. "Miko...when you kissed me before on that mark, did you know what it meant?" He asked quietly.

Kagome rocked back on her heels, "no, it was honestly just an innocent kiss. I did read some more of the book though, so now I know."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he watched her leave with words caught in his throat. Kagome glanced back at him before blushing deeply and leaving.

 _Such an innocent face. Yet such a dangerous tease underneath._  Sesshoumaru felt a growl of desire threaten to escape him and turned away, trying to banish such thoughts.

Yet he found he couldn't chase them away, and a dark longing filled his heart. She knew that kissing his marking was an act only mates performed, and she'd displayed a willingness to become his already. He wanted nothing more than to claim her right then and there.

But she hadn't said anything out loud, and Sesshoumaru knew this was not something that he could take for granted. He had to be absolutely certain she wanted him as he did her.

In her room, Kagome put a hand over her racing heart. She'd done such a bold thing, practically inviting him to mate her, but she hoped he knew that she hadn't just done it for the Love Meter.

Alone in her room, she shivered, and found it was harder to keep her promise to Sesshoumaru. The marble lay in her pocket, and though it was too light to be felt, she was constantly aware of it. Hojo had died because she'd waited too long to use it, and she was waiting yet another day to do so.

Something that concerned her was that Naraku hadn't shown his face again. He wasn't trying to stop them from raising the meter at all.  _But why?_

She bit her lip, and decided that at the first sign of danger, she would use the marble to protect her friends, promise or no promise.

OOO

Kagome awoke from her slumber sometime later. She rubbed her eyes, and wondered if she'd been crying when she felt traces of tears. She vaguely recalled her mother in her dreams, and shook her head. Getting dressed once more, she found that she'd slept close to an hour, and decided to find Sesshoumaru.

To her surprise she sensed him on the roof. Walking to her balcony, she stopped when she heard voices from above.

"-gone back to Miroku's house. We'll all spend the night there to give you guys some...privacy." Inuyasha was saying.

Sesshoumaru said something quietly that Kagome couldn't hear, but Inuyasha snorted loudly in response. "Like you can help anyone in your condition. I'll help the fake mom, or better yet I'll get the mangy wolf to do it, but you need your youki for other stuff."

They were quiet for a moment before Inuyasha said more. "If you hurt her, or push her to do anything, I will kill you."

Kagome held her breath, looking above her even as she stayed out of sight. Inuyasha eventually continued. "But I know you wouldn't do anything like that. As much of a bastard as you are, I know you wouldn't harm her. I think that's the only reason I'm fine with leaving you two alone."

Nothing more seemed to be said, but Kagome felt like Inuyasha had added something else quietly before he left. Once everything was silent, Kagome grabbed the railing of the balcony and carefully pushed herself up onto the ends of the roof. She grabbed the side of it and hoisted herself up ungracefully.

She looked up to see Sesshoumaru, who was watching her in amusement. "As graceful as ever, miko."

Kagome smiled, and when he pulled her up next to him atop the roof, she moved to sit closer. "What was Inuyasha talking about? He mentioned a fake mom...was it my mom?"

He didn't seemed surprised that she'd heard them. "You were crying out for your mother in your sleep."

Kagome's fingers clenched as she looked away. Sesshoumaru's voice softened. "I thought it best to give the fake mother some energy too, lest you lose her as well."

"But that's- I mean- she's not my real mom. I-I know that. You, Inuyasha and Koga don't need to trouble yourselves with giving youki to her for me." But even as she said this, her heart warmed, and some tension left her shoulders.

Gratitude welled up in her chest, and Sesshoumaru watched as she struggled to find the right words. "You all did that for me?"

"Hn."

Kagome's lips tilted up, her hands resting on the tilted roof as she sat next to him. Her thanks was in her eyes, but Sesshoumaru said nothing, merely looking out at the city around them.

"Why did you not choose a male illusion to win the game with?"

Kagome blinked in surprise, but before she could answer he smiled faintly. "This is not asked out of petty curiosity miko, and this one meant what was said before about forgiveness. I merely wish to know. You could have treated this as a game, you never needed to invest your feelings in the relationship."

She found that there was no judgement in his voice, and felt herself relax. "I know, and then when I won, the illusion love interest would disappear and everyone alive wouldn't remember me doing anything bad. Heck everything probably would have gone smoother." It was Sesshoumaru's turn to look at her in surprise.

The question hung in the air.  _So why didn't you?_

Kagome sighed, eyes far away. "Even though everything was ridiculous and like an actual game, I always saw the people around me as who I knew them to be. I didn't see Bankotsu the school rebel, no matter how hard I tried. I kept seeing them as they were. Some cold  _blooded_  murderers and Hojo. I didn't  _want_  to approach them."

She frowned faintly, hands tightening at her sides. "A selfish part of me wanted to genuinely choose someone, like I was actually in a game. Even though I sort of felt the danger of this world, at the time it wasn't too scary. I didn't know you were all getting drained. So I guess a part of me...chose my love interest based on personal taste. When the danger did reveal itself it was too late, I'd already started to fall in love with you.'"

Kagome expected him to think her stupid for not taking the logical route, but he didn't seem to as he smiled.

They fell into a comfortable silence as a slight breeze teased their hair, lifting it up.

"It still surprises me that  _this_  is the future that awaits us." Sesshoumaru murmured.

She looked at the city in front of them. "Yeah, kind of. Everything's allot more overwhelming in the real Tokyo, what with all the sights and smells. I don't know how an inuyoukai like you will be able handle it."

Sesshoumaru rose a brow.

Kagomed brought her knees up, wrapping her arms around them as her eyes grew sad. "When I got stuck in the future for three years, I realized just how much I'd grown apart from city life. Guess I've been spoiled by the feudal era. Funny how you can grow apart from things you grew up with...even places, you know?"

"Hn, this Sesshoumaru has dealt with it in the past. I did not spend my younger years wandering as I do now."

She glanced up at him. "Where did you live?" She asked curiously.

"In my fathers mansion, deep in the western lands. I go back every now and again when it is needed." He held a far away look in his eyes, as if he were picturing it.

Kagome tilted her head. "So why don't you spend your time there? I'd have thought you'd want to protect the lands by being at the heart of them."

The Daiyouki's lips lifted slightly. "Why did you dislike Tokyo when you returned?"

She thought for a moment. "Well...because it's loud and there's too many people and I feel suffocated there." Sesshoumaru sent her a pointed look and Kagome clicked. "Oh."

He chuckled lightly before returning his gaze to the city. "When I take a mate, this one will build a new home for her, our own place in the lands."

They fell silent, and the miko felt something build in her chest. They'd exchanged playful banter earlier and he'd even said in his own way that he loved her. While training they'd taken every opportunity to casually touch one another in passing, and she'd even been bold enough to kiss his marking. The only thing left to do was ask.

Surprisingly he beat her to it. "Kagome, what this one offered before still stands."

She looked at him, finding him gazing down at her intently. Kagome straightened, her heart pounding as the words she'd wanted to say for so long finally left her mouth. "I wanted to tell you before that I would have said yes to mating you. I couldn't say it though, I didn't want you to think that I said yes just to raise the Love Meter." Kagome breathed, blushing awkwardly as she glanced away.

When she looked up at him again, she was struck by his intense, almost hungry gaze. Her blush deepened and buried part of her that had secretly longed for his touch spread like wild fire through her veins.

The demon lord leaned forward, seriousness in his gaze. "Then understand that this promise is unbreakable. Nothing will sever this oath, our very spirits will become linked to one another."

Kagome nodded. "I-is it true that demons can extend the life span of a humans to match theirs when they mate?" She thought of what was said in the book, hoping it was true. She'd hate to become his mate only to grow old before him and die.

His eyes softened. "Yes. It will also tether our aura's together, making it easier for me to find you should we become separated."

What was left unsaid hung in the air between them. If they did use the marble and he forgot her, there would be a better chance of him remembering and finding her. Kagome figured that's what Inuyasha thought they'd decided to do already.

"You need not fear about children either, miko's cannot carry demon offspring unless they drink a certain elixir that blocks their holy powers, it can be found in my homelands."

She looked at him in surprise, filing that piece of information away for later, at least she didn't need to worry about that for now.

Sesshoumaru watched the myriad of emotions cross her face and moved closer. "There is no need to become mine right now Kagome. We can wait. This game should not dictate our actions in regards to our mating."

Her gaze lifted as she smiled, her hand finding his. "I know, and I'm not saying any of this for the Love Meter, I'm not doing anything for it. I want to do this." She murmured, her eyes holding his captive.

"I want to be yours Sesshoumaru, and I want you to be mine." Kagome admitted softly, a serious note to her voice.

His face morphed from solemn to that same hungry look once more. Butterflies took flight in her stomach, and she shivered.

Before she knew it, Sesshoumaru had leaned in and claimed her lips in a kiss, his hand at the back of her neck. Kagome smiled against his lips and rested her hands on his shoulders, slowly moving them down his chest. He soon lifted her so that she was sitting on him without breaking the kiss.

She practically melted in his lap, feeling hot and flustered as her heart hammered in her rib-cage. One of Kagome's hands slid up his neck into his hair, her fingers curling as Sesshoumaru lowered his kisses to her throat, tracing a path down to her collarbone.

Her mouth opened and Kagome quickly bit her lip to stop herself from moaning. Sesshoumaru chuckled lightly against her skin. "We are the only ones here Kagome, why hide your enjoyment from me?"

"W-we're still on the roof, someone might see."

He pulled away from her just enough to maneuver them down the tiled roof top and onto the balcony. Kagome grabbed him in surprise at the sudden change, finding that they were standing outside Sesshoumaru's room. The Daiyoukai held her close as he carried her inside, setting her down only to close the doors behind him.

When he turned back to her, his golden eyes blazed, seeming to literally glow in the shadowed room.

Yet even as he practically radiated want and desire, Sesshoumaru stood frozen on the spot. Kagome knew he was waiting for her consent, and was giving her the opportunity to leave.

 _No chance._  She smiled gently and approached, stopping just in front of him. She slowly reached up and lifted her hair from her neck and shoulders, holding it aside to expose her skin.

A deep growl reached her ears as his arms wrapped around her waist, bringing her flush against him. As he ran his tongue over her racing pulse at her neck, Kagome shivered, feeling his claws catch in the material of her skirt. She knew from the book that inuyokai's control only lasted so long, but she wasn't afraid of what was to come.

Sensing her relax against his touch, Sesshoumaru pulled back to look her in the eye. He saw only willingness and love in her gaze, and felt warmth flood his chest. A human would be his mate, and as her hands whispered over his skin, unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it from his shoulders, he found that he no longer cared about her mortal status.

His lips brushed the tender skin of her jaw, and Kagome quivered, hands smoothing over his muscled chest. The heat was spreading like fire through her veins. As he dipped her back against the bed, her eyes caught his as she wet her lips. "I haven't done this-"

"I know, we need not rush." She heard his velvet purr in her ear and shivered.

As more of her skin was bared to him, the demon committed the way she looked and felt beneath him to memory. When he kissed down her stomach, Sesshoumaru stopped for a moment, pulling away. "Where did you get this mark?"

Kagome looked to see what he meant. "Oh that's from when I was attacked by Mistress Centipede. It's where the jewel got torn out."

His long, sharp nail lightly skimmed over the scar, and when he bent to kiss it, she felt like he was treating it as her own crescent moon. When he discovered more scars left from battles in the past, he did the same for them.

The miko sighed in pleasure, her own hands exploring him as they ran down his back. When she touched his left arm, she noticed a very faint scar where his new arm had appeared from, close to his shoulder.

When she leaned in to kiss his own scar, the demon lords eyes flashed red, and he closed them quickly, trying to regain control.

Kagome smiled and heedless of his worry, pulled him down for another kiss, hearing his soft groan as their bodies met. A flash of hot desire twisted in her stomach, and they soon lost themselves in sensation.

The pleasures he awakened in her felt like music, as if the melody was in her very veins that flowed through her body. It sang loud and clear through her blood stream. When his fangs dragged across her skin lightly, her heartbeat rose and fell like chords of a violin. She gave this feeling a voice through her soft moans and caresses.

When the wave of heat had reached its peak and they were at the height of pleasure, Sesshoumaru's fangs descended onto her shoulder, eyes blazing red. She cried out in pain, the warm sensations unable to quell the sharp, painful sting.

Their energies rose up around them, blazing to life as they linked together as one.

Sesshoumaru's youki infused with the bite, leaving traces of his power in the mark when he pulled away. He knew the mark would never heal, and the primal part of him purred in satisfaction as his tongue swept over it.

The youki in the bite marks would soon fuse into her blood stream, affecting her scent and aura. Soon every demon who came upon her would know she was mated, and who to.

As he panted darkly in undisguised pleasure, Sesshoumaru tensed in sudden pain. The burn of spiritual powers alerted him to Kagomes mouth and hand on his shoulder, and his eyes widened. When she pulled away, her own mark lay bare for all to see. There was a faint indent of teeth lined boldly with a light burn of reiki on his flesh.

The miko was breathing quickly, face blushing hotly. "I-It said in the book that female demons mark their mates too. I know its not traditional since I'm a human and don't have fangs but-"

She was silenced by a hard kiss. His tongue sweeping into her mouth and arms wrapping tightly around her told Kagome all that she needed to know.

As the pleasure died down, Sesshoumaru pulled her against his side, breathing in their mixed scents.

Kagome dozed contentedly in his arms, feeling safer than she had in months.

OOO

When she awoke a short time later, the priestess found that Sesshoumaru was asleep. Not wanting to wake him just yet, she crept to the shower and sighed in happiness under the warm spray. Once she'd bathed and dressed herself, Kagome stepped back into the room, her good mood finally cut short once she noticed the Love Meter.

For one thing, there was still a meter. That meant they were still in an illusion. Even mating hadn't worked. The level was just below the maximum marker, only a hairs breadth away.

Kagome shook her head. They hadn't done this solely to escape the game, they were mated now, linked closer than even marriage. The games standards on love meant nothing to her. She'd only promised him one day however, and she felt the pressure to use the marble settle over her once more. She couldn't delay it anymore, it had to be today.

She looked down at Sesshoumaru and felt a gentle smile tug at her lips. At his slightly pale complexion however, she grew tense.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome felt his forehead, her heart slamming against her rib cage when she found he had a high fever. She licked her dry lips and tried calling his name again.

"Sesshoumaru? Answer me, please!" Her energy looped around his body, trying to stir some response, but he was out cold.

His youki, he'd lost too much of it from the mating. Kagome felt dread and panic claw at her stomach. The image of Hojo lying lifeless on the floor flashed in her mind. Stepping away from the bed shakily, she fished the marble out from her pocket.

Almost as if he knew her intention, Sesshoumaru face contorted in pain as his body quaked. Tears swam in Kagome's eyes at seeing him so helpless, but swiftly made her decision. It had to be now, she wouldn't take the chance. Putting on some decent clothes, she left the bedroom just in case Sesshoumaru woke up while she used the marble.

She ran as fast as her legs could carry her until she was a safe distance away, finding herself at the school.

Standing in the courtyard, she caught her breath and held up the marble. "It's for the best." She murmured to herself.

"Indeed, glad you see things my way."

Kagome looked up, not surprised to see Naraku standing before her.

His smile cut deep across his face as he smirked viciously. "Now then my dear, are we ready to begin?"


	25. The Bad End

Kagome's hands shook as she stared at the marble. This small, seemingly innocent trinket was going to rip her life apart, just like the shikon jewel.

Her hand trembled as her fingers closed around it.

She had to do this. This was a necessity she had to give, not a sacrifice. She couldn't place her happiness before children's lives, her friends or her mates. She just wished...

Kagome shook her head and tried to focus. Why was she shaking so badly? Maybe it was because even though this was the right thing to do...that didn't make it any easier to go through with it.

A sharp burst of youki slammed into the air, knocking the very branches of the trees and making them sway. Kagome gasped and nearly stumbled at the blast of energy, righting herself at the last minute.

"Was that-?" She broke off, voice faint.

Naraku's red eyes narrowed into slits as he surveyed the sky. "It seems Mr. Taisho has awakened. Perhaps now would be a good time to hasten things."

Kagome breathed out shakily, heart slamming in her chest. She'd wanted to do this without seeing him leave, without seeing the look of betrayal on his face once more. But he had to understand, this wasn't about her, it was about everyone's happiness and well-being.

With that in mind, Kagome focused, and tried to block everything out. Her reiki shield rose up around her, and she directed its power into the marble which began to glow brightly.

The ground trembled underneath her, and at first Kagome thought it was the game world being affected by the marble. When she heard a deafening roar that made birds burst out of their nests into flight, her heart thundered in her ears.

She couldn't tell if it was his youki ripping into the wind that made the noise, Sesshoumaru himself, or the blood singing in her veins and drumming in her head. She felt sick with fear, but she wasn't sure what she was afraid of now.

"I-I wish-"

Feeling the air grow warm and static, Naraku cursed under his breath and quickly turned on his heel. A dark form burst through the courtyard towards them, raw energy burning in its wake.

There was a flash of sunlight on a blade, and then pain.

Naraku grit his teeth, tasting blood as he stared into the cold, almost lifeless eyes of the Daiyouki. Naraku had luckily transformed his arm into a large talon, protecting himself from the attack that would have severed his head. Unfortunately Baksusaiga was now embedded deep into his arm and shoulder.

Those sharp, winter eyes turned from Naraku's to look at Kagome, who shuddered under the protection of her shield.

Naraku saw her hesitate and growled; "Get on with it wench! Don't just stand th-"

The blade twisted in his shoulder, and Naraku winced, before crying out as the sword ripped itself free from his body. He was then shoved aside to the ground, and Sesshoumaru leaped forward, his lips forming her name before he'd even thought to utter them.

"Kagome."

Her eyes opened wide as Sesshoumaru stood directly before her, a hairs breath away from the sparking barrier.

Kagome continued the wish, something vulnerable quaking her knees and hands. "I wish that everyone was- AH!"

She cried out as a force met with her shield, trying to break through. Sesshoumaru had sheathed his sword and plunged his claws into the barrier, his poison laying dormant in his fingers. He didn't want to risk hurting her.

"What the hell are you doing?! You'll burn yourself alive! Use your sword if you're going to try and break in!" Kagome yelled angrily. A part of her wondered why she wasn't trying to dissuade him from breaking the barrier, and was instead lecturing him on using his weapon.

"Baksusaiga might obliterate you if this one used it." His voice was low and even, but the strain was beginning to show on his features as his face darkened. His hand felt like it was on fire as heat licked at his flesh, ripping his skin.

His eyes locked on hers. "Kagome, we will find another way. Stop this foolishness." He could barely hear himself, barely think as agony pulsed from his burning hand. He grit his teeth, and tasted blood in his mouth.

Kagome looked down at the marble. It now glowed a bright red, pulsing with energy and flowing with life. Her hair began to pick up as a phantom wind lifted her locks from her shoulders. She felt dulled to all sensation except the feeling of power in her hand. Looking past the light and into his eyes, her heart gave a squeeze.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he lunged forward, his arm managing to break through to the other side. But the barrier remained, and his shoulder was now pressed against it, the burn of her holy powers singeing him blind with pain.

Despite the roar of blood in his ears, he heard her words clearly. "I wish that everyone was sent back where they came from."

The wind suddenly grew fierce as it lashed into Sesshoumaru's body, making him unbalanced. He heard a vague shout from behind him.

"Hey Sesshoumaru, Kagome! What the heck is going on?" Inuyasha yelled, holding onto Shippo, who rose into the air with the force of the wind.

Sesshoumaru ignored his brother and moved forward, releasing his youki so that it crashed against her shield. Kagome's eyes were unfocused, not noticing that his arm had broken through. Her reiki flowed into the marble, and Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome's skin became paler, as if she were being drained. His heart stuttered in alarm.

As he inched forward, his hand that was steaming with burns and ripped flesh managed to cover her own that was holding the marble.

Her blue eyes blinked, before focusing on him. She gasped in surprise and horror, and dropped the barrier, senses returning to her all at once. Kagome breathed heavily, tears stinging her eyes at the sight of his damaged flesh. She cried out, finding herself in his arms a moment later. Her hands held onto him, gripping his shirt tightly as she shook, the marble sapping her energy as it glowed before disappearing.

The wind gave a jolt, and Sesshoumaru's feet were lifted from the floor. Inuyasha yelled obscenities as Shippo held onto him, each of them flying up past the school. The air currents pulled them up towards the sky, where the pale pink of Kagome's reiki shield parted.

While suspended in the air, Kagome spotted Koga and Ayame, and a yell to her left signaled Miroku's presence. As she looked, her eyes landed on Souten, who gazed down forlornly at the buildings below.

"This won't work, it wont let you take me." She murmured into Sesshoumaru's ear, holding onto him despite her words.

His voice was clear and brook no argument. "You are coming with me."

The sky loomed closer, and soon Koga, with his arm wrapped around Ayame, ascended through the gap in the barrier. A moment later they both disappeared from sight.

Shippo yelled in panic, eyes wide. Souten gazed up fearfully, before looking at him. The two children shared a quiet moment, before their hands met in the air. They were soon dragged up through the sky as well, followed by a familiar woman Kagome hadn't noticed before then.

The fake mother turned to look at her, Mrs. Higurashi's concerned face ever present as she floated away almost mournfully. Kagome felt a tug in her heart. It was then Miroku's turn and Inuyasha followed suit, looking thoroughly confused.

When they disappeared, Sesshoumaru's arms tightened around Kagome, and she looked up at him. His eyes were blazing, filled with determination as they neared the gap. Her eyes squeezed shut as she hid her face in his neck, praying that it would let her through along with everyone else.

There was a moment where nothing happened, and she truly believed for one second that she was through.

Kagome was then roughly knocked back, and her eyes snapped open. Sesshoumaru was halfway through the barrier in the sky, his arm that was wrapped around Kagome remained on her side of the shield, keeping her in the air.

She lifted her hands in shock, finding resistance against her fingers. Despair choked her throat.

A shaky smile came to her lips as Kagome gathered her courage. "I-its alright Sesshoumaru, let go."

His loud growl ripped through the air, making her shudder. The Daiyoukai's eyes burned red. "I will not." He snarled.

The air currents were trying to force him away, and Sesshoumaru grit his teeth, curling his youki around him to try and pull the miko through. But the shield was like thick glass, unbreakable no matter how hard she pressed against it, and he soon felt his fingers slipping. The mating marks on each of their shoulders began to ache painfully as the barrier pushed them apart.

He stared into her blue eyes, something unfamiliar simmering to life in his bloodstream. He had never felt this much dread before, but now it pressed upon his shoulders, weighing him deep into the depths of her eyes.

"Let go." Kagome murmured, her voice far away, eyes glassy.

 _I will not leave you here alone._  He wanted to say, but his lungs felt like they were on fire. He couldn't breathe with the force of his muted terror and disbelief, and he watched numbly as his hand was forced away by the wind. His claws scraped her flesh, before they were ripped aside.

Sesshoumaru's eyes stayed locked with hers, and something caved within his chest, spilling out into a deafening roar that threatened to shatter the barrier between the two worlds. But his body drifted away, and soon she was gone from his sight as everything faded to black.

OOO

All sensation was muted, as if he were in a dream. When he opened his eyes, Sesshoumaru winced and squinted. A bright light beckoned him closer, yet some hazy part of him bid he turn around, to look at the darkness behind him. But Sesshoumaru was weary, and his body ached. All he wanted to do was curl up and sleep somewhere. He could have hung in that senseless peace for a few more hours, but the light forced him onward, and he soon breathed fresh air into his lungs.

The blue sky towered above as a square of light as Sesshoumaru focused on the four walls around him. He jumped up easily, landing on the rim of the Bone Eaters Well. He frowned and stepped down, green grass cushioning his boots.  _Boots?_

Sesshoumaru blinked, wondering why he'd expected something else.  _Odd_. Naturally he'd be dressed in his traditional attire. His chest plate felt somewhat heavier than he remembered, but he ignored it as his mind began to clear.

With this new development came questions. Why was he standing in the middle of a clearing when he had no knowledge of getting there? His half brother and many of his companions were in the same clearing, looking disheveled and confused. He noticed that a lone Unmother demon was also with them, and thought it strange.

Sesshoumaru's frown deepened, his fingers twitching at his side. A sharp throb made him glance down at his hand, and his eyes widened slightly.

His flesh was burned, the wound licking a path past the cover of his sleeve. As he moved his arm, he smoothed his features to mask the wince that made him grit his teeth. It seemed the burn arched past his elbow, possibly up to his shoulder.

Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. It was his left arm again.  _Is it cursed to be forever maimed?_

"Sesshoumaru? What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha muttered.

_Hn, it seems the hanyou doesn't know anything about our currant circumstances either._

"I could ask you the same question half breed."

Inuyasha opened his mouth, but fell short on what to say. The group looked at each other uncertainly.

Sesshoumaru was about to leave and find Rin, since no answers seemed forthcoming here, but something restless was in his stomach. Irritation and worry gnawed at his insides, and he mentally shook himself. As he stepped forward however, his eyes seemed to automatically turn to the well in the clearing. A strong pulse of reiki energy was leaking out of it, and even stranger, he thought he sensed his own youki tangled in the aura.

Before he could think about it further, a shout caught his attention. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Shippo! Oh thank goodness you're safe!"

Rin ran into the clearing, throwing her arms around a confused Shippo. "W-what? Whats going on?" He blushed.

"You're back! I'm so happy you're all back!" She cried. Sesshoumaru was unnerved to sense actual tears coming from his ward. He noticed the old miko Kaede making her way towards them, along with the demon slayer.

He soon found himself in an uncomfortable position as Rin suddenly launched herself at him. He awkwardly patted the top of her head, and saw that the monk was equally as bewildered when his wife tackled him into a hug.

He looked down at his ward. "Rin, why are you distressed?"

Something tugged at his mind. Someone else was meant to ask these questions, someone else should be receiving a hug from Rin. His golden eyes turned towards the Bone-Eaters Well.

He didn't know why his thoughts suddenly turned towards the miko, but something tight grasped his heart at the thought and wouldn't let go.

 _Foolishness_ , he shook his head just as Rin turned and called out her name; "Kagome?"

At this, everyone in the clearing looked around for the absent miko.

Growing annoyed, Inuyasha piped up. "Alright what the hell is going on? We wake up here with no clue what happened and you're not making a lick of sense. Spit it out Rin!"

Miroku's staff hit the hanyou on the back of his head 'accidentally.' As Inuyasha yelled in annoyance, the monk turned to Rin with a kind look in his eyes. "What Inuyasha means to say is 'please would you explain what you know'? Do you know anything Sango?"

Sango hesitated, looking distraught, happy and miffed all at once. "You've been missing for a whole month, I think it'd be best if Rin explained." Miroku smiled gently at the sight of his wife's relieved tears, rubbing her back and not letting his hand stray for once.

Rin nodded shakily, her wide eyes still searching for the miko. "I-I don't understand why you don't remember. I cant believe even you don't remember, Shippo."

All eyes turned to Shippo, who held his hands up in panic. "What? I didn't do anything."

Rin shuffled on the spot, knowing that Sesshoumaru would be angry with her. But if Kagome wasn't there that meant only one thing. Her eyes rested on the well, and she summoned her courage.

"A-alright, I suppose I should start at the beginning."

Sesshoumaru gave a short nod, as did Kaede, and this reassured her. Taking a deep breath, Rin began. "It all started when Kohaku came to visit the village."

OOO

She was floating in a place between stunned and dazed, her eyes unseeing as they stared up at the sky above. The sensation of spiders legs running down her arm felt distant, the chilling effect it had on her, dulled.

This absence only lasted until the barrier in the sky finally closed. Then a soft, pleasant voice murmured in her ear. "It's just us now my dear."

Kagome jolted, realizing the spiders legs was his long, tangled hair brushing against her. She scrambled to get away, but realized at once that they were in the air, floating down from the sky.

"Now, now Kagome, is that any way to thank your rescuer? You would have fallen to your death had I not caught you." Naraku chuckled darkly, amused by the thought.

Kagome felt vile rise in her throat when she noticed his proximity, the fact that he was holding her. She tossed her head, voice full of venom. "You only want me alive to fuel the illusion. Without me there's no you."

Naraku's satisfied grin turned feral, stretching high across his face. "That's true, but that doesn't mean we can't  _enjoy_  our time together. After all we'll be seeing allot of one another from now on. It'll be exactly as the shikon jewel wanted."

"W-what are you talking about?"

His red eyes gleamed as they locked on her. "Don't you remember? The jewel wanted us as its new hosts after I died. You were transported inside the jewel, where it wanted you to remain in the dark. Now we can hate and fight one another forever like Midoriko and the youkai before us."

His breath danced across her neck, making her shudder. "We will do all that and more,  _my dear_."

They were near enough to the ground now that Kagome wouldn't be hurt if she dropped from his arms. Gritting her teeth, her eyes locked on the wound Sesshoumaru inflicted earlier. A spark of determination lit up her features as she quickly grabbed ahold of his clothing near his arm and shoulder.

Her hands tightened as reiki flared to life at her fingertips, before snapping into the body that held her. Naraku gave a cry of outrage as reiki singed his flesh, entering through the wound and leaving a burning trail of pain in its wake. He threw Kagome away from himself, and she landed in a heap on the ground, banging her elbow and scraping her knees.

Kagome stood up shakily, her eyes on his twisting body as he clutched at his arm, writhing in agony.

"If you think this is going to go exactly as you planned Naraku then you're sadly mistaken." She smiled with a false sense of bravado. "I'm not going to give up searching for a way to leave, but even if I do have to stay here forever, it won't be with you."

Naraku's eyes hooded as his expression darkened, his form still shaking with aftershocks of reiki. "Rejecting my offer was a foolish mistake. You could have made this so much easier, but naturally you chose the difficult path. It was the same with choosing Sesshoumaru."

"Sesshoumaru has nothing to do with this." She growled.

He slowly calmed, his face smoothing into his usual amused expression. "Now that's where you'd be correct my dear, the only thing that matters is you. Is that not so?"

Kagome frowned in confusion, wondering what sort of game he was playing. He chuckled, raising the hair on the back of her neck. "Forgive me, you're not aware of the joke are you?"

When she didn't respond, Naraku smirked and looked at the Love Meter beside him, trailing a hand lightly down its side. "The marble is similar to the shikon jewel in that it can grant desires. The desires are manifested but they are nothing more than illusions, intending to trap the users targets. However it can only grant the users wishes if they are inside the marble itself, so it transports its hosts inside the trinket, sometimes trapping inexperienced mikos forever by clouding their thoughts until they die." He said pleasantly as if they were talking about the weather.

"You are currently trapped inside the marble yourself. The world you see around you is a manifestation of your thoughts, so why would you assume this Love Meter is tailored towards my feelings, or that of Sesshoumarus?"

Kagome digested all this information slowly, before her eyes widened. "You...you don't mean-"

"Yes, right from the beginning, it was your thoughts and feelings that changed the level of the meters. When we spoke in the library, you made the Love Meter rise perfectly when I wanted, because you believed it was possible for me to have that much power. When our dear Mr. Taisho's meter rose, it was because you felt his feelings had changed based on something trivial you did. How naive. You've truly played your part beautifully though my dear."

Naraku smiled in pleasure seeing her frozen, horrified features. His red eyes narrowed in cruelty, deciding to rub salt in the wound. "I know you better than anyone, or rather the worst parts of you. Now tell me why I didn't interrupt your little tryst with Sesshoumaru last night, why would I not try to stop you? You must have wondered."

Kagome's head was reeling. She raised her blank eyes to meet his, lips parting slowly. "Because my feelings held us back...It-it was my fault we didn't win the game. "

Her heart squeezed in her chest. Had she not loved him enough? No, she'd never been happier than she had last night, she did love Sesshoumaru. _But then, why didn't we win?_

Naraku threw his head back and laughed, the sound jerking Kagome in alarm. She shivered, disgust and fear curling in her stomach at the sight of him so elated.

When he looked at her again, his chuckles began to die down, but his smirk refused to leave. "Ah, and that's why you're my perfect heroine. Your utter self doubt destroys you from the inside. It wasn't your love that held you back dear Kagome, you loved enough. It was those nagging thoughts in the back of your mind that made you lose the game."

She knew the reasons, they'd hung over her heavily whenever she'd dared to dream of a future with Sesshoumaru. Her self worth, her doubts, but one reason rang clear in her mind.

Her family.

She hadn't wanted to face the reality of leaving her mother, brother and grandfather behind. Mating Sesshoumaru had helped her overcome doubt, fears and worth, but leaving her family in the 21st century was a thought she'd avoided. Naraku had purposefully made the Unmother transform into her mother, just to keep the thought of her family in her head.

Kagome raised her eyes to his. She could feel the press of a handle against her lower back, concealed beneath her clothing. Naraku was close, she could use  _that._

She frowned in frustration. She wasn't in range to unsheathe and use it quick enough, he'd see her intent easily.

_I have to wait for the right moment._

Naraku's hand was suddenly on her cheek, and Kagome flinched, automatically ripping herself away. He smiled sharply. "Do I repel you so much Kagome?"

"You've done countless horrible things and even killed Hojo, what the heck do you think?" She growled, stepping back.

He raised his arm, smirking with delight as it became a large, grotesque talon. "A pity, but you know, I don't need you conscious for this world to exist. It will continue turning so long as your heart beats, but you don't have to be in one piece for that to happen."

Kagome didn't even flinch. Her hand itched to hold a weapon but she held still, _not yet_.

"You still have the resolve to fight? I see, then let me indulge you in a sweet dream." Naraku uttered almost lovingly.

Kagome quickly jumped out of the way as he launched deformed claws at her, his sharp talons scraping into the ground. She ran, heading as fast as she could towards the archery pavilion, glad that the door was already open.

As soon as she ran into the building however, everything dropped away. The ground beneath her feet disappeared, and Kagome screamed as she fell into darkness.

OOO

Silence had descended on the group after hearing Rin's long winded story. The demons glanced at one another, quietly confirming that her scent held no trace of lies.

Sesshoumaru looked down at his ward. "You say that this marble should have freed the miko, why is she not here?"

She shook her head. "I don't know, if- if that's the case then maybe she didn't choose a man to win with."

Something strange took root in Sesshoumaru's heart, making him uneasy. Kaede interjected, her single eye watching the demon lord sternly. "Hmph, ye don't really believe that, do ye Rin?"

At this, Rin glanced away uncertainly, while Inuyasha crossed his arms. "What are you on about old hag?"

Kaede ignored the hanyou and kept her gaze on Sesshoumaru, but when he said nothing, she sighed. "Only that there may be a way to save Kagome."

The group perked up at this, each of them silently agreeing to do anything they could for the priestess.

"Tell us what we can do. Even without our memories there's got to be some way to help." Koga's fists clenched, worry creasing his brow.

Kaede beckoned them closer to the well where each of the demons could feel reiki energy pulsing from inside. "The marble is currently inside the well itself, neither travelling to Kagomes time nor ours, it is merely suspended in time. Kagomes power has linked with that of the Bone Eaters Well and the marbles, therefore any demons wishing to rescue Kagome must pass through intense holy powers to get to her."

Inuyasha found himself hesitating for a second, his eyes drawn to the midnight black hair on his shoulders. Only a few strands of white remained on his head, showing his weakened youki powers.

Shaking his head, he stepped forward. "Keh, that doesn't matter, I'll go."

Miroku frowned. "Don't be foolish Inuyasha, your demonic aura is so weak you're practically a human. We don't know if sending you inside the marble as you are now would help Kagome or hinder her."

Inuyasha spun on his heel, growling. "Like I care! She needs to get outta there and I'm gonna save her!"

Sesshoumaru watched his half brother quietly, wondering at the spark of frustration that raced through his bloodstream. His lips thinned as his teeth clenched, instincts screaming at him to act, to do something. But he couldn't understand what, because surely he didn't want to jump into the fray and save the miko. He frowned, finding the very idea ludicrous. He held a fondness for her that went beyond being allies, but she was not his.

He turned his golden eyes back to Inuyasha. Of course the whelp would save her, that was how it went. The heroic hanyou would bring her back, and she would love the fool as she had years ago. Pure and innocent mikos did not desire dark warlords such as he.

 _Ah, I have had this debate before._  Sesshoumaru's fingers clenched into a tight fist. Denying the truth of his growing want of her had become second nature to the Daiyouki, but even admitting his desires meant nothing, changed nothing.

 _No, perhaps she is not Inuyasha's, but that does not change the fact that she could never be mine._  With this thought in mind Sesshoumaru turned to leave, ignoring the sting he felt at the admission.

His eyes opened wide at the blinding burst of pain that stopped him in his tracks after only two steps away. In his mind he could picture the beast that lay beneath the surface of his skin, jaws opening wide and howling as it strained against chains of control. He breathed in deeply, closing his eyes and trying to focus. But it did no good, and as he wondered at the ache in his chest, the image of her face came to mind.

_Flashback~_

A reflection wavered in the dimly lit waters of the river. A kind face, framed with black hair that spilled down her shoulders, gazed back. The setting sun bathed her in an orange glow, and Sesshoumaru watched, transfixed, as she rose. Pale fingers clenched into a fist at his side. Naraku had been defeated three years ago, Rin had chosen to live in the village rather than follow him, and he had business elsewhere, yet he still found reasons to linger at the village.

Kagome approached the fire she'd made in the clearing and took the kettle off the boil. Shippo dozed nearby, while Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango had already returned home. It did not escape Sesshoumaru's notice that Kagome tried to make a camp for them, as if they were still pursing Naraku.

He waited, and was not disappointed when she approached him after preparing some tea. She bent to sit on her knees before him as he sat at the base of a tree, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Chamomile this time. Since I've exhausted the list of fancy ones for you, this will have to do, Mr. Tea Connoisseur."

Sesshoumaru accepted the tea, nodding his thanks. She always tried to give him a different tea each time. He supposed it was her own way of trying to include him even when he had nothing to do with their group.

However, this time was different. Golden eyes caught the way she hesitated, and he blinked in surprise when she stayed where she was. "Do you think... that in three years I'll be the same as them?"

Her eyes were unguarded, sad, and Sesshoumaru couldn't remember a time when she'd asked him something so personal and honest before. This was not how the routine went when they were alone, he would usually stay aloof and she'd quip about his cold personality.

Sesshoumaru frowned softly. She envied her friends, that much was obvious, but why come to him about it? "It is easier for some to bury the past than others. Do not dwell on it miko."

She blinked and when she raised her gaze to meet his, she gave a gentle smile that lit up her whole face. His heart quickened instantly. It had been a thoughtless act, provoked by thoughtless words, but Sesshoumaru found himself replaying that moment in his head long after she'd left.

But something about that smile had bothered the demon lord, and he realized that perhaps he should have given more thought to his words. Being a man of short conversation, he hadn't known what advice to offer. How annoying that he felt even a measure of guilt for a problem that was solely hers.

However, the feeling of discontentment stayed with Sesshoumaru, and it wasn't until he saw Kagome again did he realize why. She'd lied in the form of a smile, lied to none other than him the same way she had her friends.

Such a simple thing had made him realize the unthinkable. He'd noticed the miko Kagome. More than that, he'd noticed her pain, and felt an encompassing desire to rid her of it, and replace that smile with one of real happiness.

The most startling thing of all was that _he_  wanted to be the one to do it.

_End Flashback~_

Threads of a memory came back to him suddenly, not just of that smile, but of the Bone Eaters Well, the moment she'd jumped in with the marble. Sesshoumaru's breath shuddered out of him as sharp needles of pain bit into his skull. There was more, lurking in the back of his mind. He smelled her scent, and had the strangest sensation of soft hair running through his fingers. Then there was warmth, and gentle blue eyes looking up at him in the way he'd always longed for.

 _Impossible_ , he growled to himself. His thoughts were clouded because he was lacking youki, that was all.

"Look Dog Breath, I should go. I have more youki so it'll be a walk in the park." Said Koga, ignoring Inuyasha's protests.

"But if the marble drains youki and Kagome can't control it, maybe another reiki user should help her instead." Ayame reasoned, looking pointedly towards Miroku.

Shippo watched them, his heart squeezing with worry as Souten stood with him. He couldn't remember exactly, but he felt like he'd spoken to her before going into the marble.

Kaede shook her head at Ayame's theory. "That may not work, I believe the marble has become tuned to Kagome, and it may be that she has confused herself. Confusion has bred fear and uncertainty, and it is my belief that the one linked most deeply with her in the bonds of trust should go."

Everyone became quiet at this, glancing at each other. The old miko sighed heavily. "The man she chose to win with."

Their voices were a distant roar to Sesshoumaru, whose heart was pounding uncomfortably fast. He couldn't ignore this, this insane  _need_  to see her.  _I want to make sure she is safe...no it is more than that, what is this feeling?_  His instincts roared until he couldn't think straight, and he found his right arm reaching for his left shoulder, claws biting into material. A blinding surge of agony burst to life underneath his hand, and Sesshoumaru snarled, ripping his hankimono aside.

He fell silent. A familiar aura pulsed within the faint indent of teeth marks. Golden eyes grew wide as he sensed the undeniable feel and scent of  _her_.

Questions raced through his mind, but at once he understood. He was marked as Kagome's mate, and somewhere in that well she held the same scar.  _She chose me? That pure, ridiculous miko let this Sesshoumaru claim her..._

Surprise grew into hope and dare he admit it- bliss leaped in his heart.

"-don't know who the hell that is! Just let me pass and I'll damn do it!" Inuyasha was yelling, but Sesshoumaru wasn't listening.

He turned on his heel sharply and approached the well, catching Kaede's eye. She smiled as he passed, having suspected an attachment between the miko and demon for some time.

"Take heed my lord, you have little youki left. Going into the marble as ye are now may be unwise, so perhaps ye should wait and restore some strength." She warned, stopping him in his tracks.

Sesshoumaru's gaze slid back to her. "There is no time, Kagome has been left waiting long enough."

The group watched this exchange with their mouths agape. Only Rin seemed unfazed by Sesshoumaru's silent admission.

"You gotta be shitting me." Inuyasha growled, hand on Tetsusaiga even though he knew the blade wouldn't transform as he was now.

A slight sigh was the only indication of his annoyance. "I bare her mark." Sesshoumaru stated, a fierce desire to defend Kagome's claim overwhelming him. He didn't know what had happened between them or why they'd mated, but he would protect her even without that knowledge.

Koga chocked in shock, Ayame's eyes widened, while both Sango and Miroku shared a look.

"Right now, the best thing all of ye could do would be to offer some youki to the lord. He will need all he can in order to reach Kagome, and help her break free from the marble."

Kaede then beckoned Inuyasha and Miroku closer, speaking to them in hushed tones. Koga and Ayame approached Sesshoumaru awkwardly, both of them uncertain.

"Hey, get in line. I want to help too." Souten piped up, her hand already on Sesshoumaru's. "I cant remember what happened in that marble but that doesn't matter. Kagome needs help and I know she'd do the same for us." The thunder demon narrowed her eyes at the two wolves.

"What the- hey! You're just a kid! You don't need to give any energy-hey! Don't ignore me!" Koga yelled, but his words fell on deaf ears as Souten gave over her youki.

She would have kept going and given more, but her mind began to buzz, and soon Sesshoumaru pulled away. "You're assistance is appreciated." He murmured, eyes soft.

Ayame helped Souten sit down safely before rising to stand before the Daiyoukai. She and Koga put a hand on each of his shoulders before giving their youki, a frown marring their faces as a light buzzing sound echod in their minds. Sesshoumaru could feel much of his strength return as their engeries flowed in, but he soon sensed their fatigue and drew himself back.

Ayame leaned heavily on Koga as they knelt to the ground, and Sesshoumaru nodded his thanks. "The West will not forget."

Koga's eyes snapped to his, and the wolf prince smiled weakly. "Yeah well, the East appricates that. Now go save her."

As Sesshoumaru turned, not wanting to dely, he caught the scent of rotting flesh. He turned cold, assessing eyes to the Unmother who stumbled towards him.

"Please, my daughter. Will you save my daughter?"

"I do not have time to waste on you, wraith."

He frowned when she suddenly grabbed onto his sleeve, her face morphing into a random woman's panicked expression. "I-I need to help her, shes in trouble. Please, save my Kagome for me?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. "You were in the marble. How is it that you remember?"

The woman smiled warmly, and reached to touch the side of his face. "My daughter is very special, but her illusion wares off quickly. I think the marble told her many lies to keep her afraid, but she wont be scared anymore, because she will have you by her side."

He blinked in surprise when youki began to flow into him from her touch. The Unmother's brown eyes creased in pain, and when Sesshoumaru tried to move away, she suddenly gripped him tightly, forcing a large burst of energy to spiral into him.

"I thought Kagome would forget her family if she chose to be with you, but now I know...all a parent really wants for their child is happiness."

Sesshoumaru grabbed onto her hands and managed to push her away, severing the link. As he caught sight of her face however, he knew the low level demon had already given too much.

"She can find that with you...so I can let her go." The Unmother smiled brokenly, and with such love in her eyes that Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt for letting her drain herself.

The mask finally slipped from her face, and the demon fell back, withering into dust and broken flesh as she met the floor.

Sesshoumaru stayed where he was a moment, before silently thanking the demoness.

When he approched Inuyasha and Kaede, he felt more subdued as he glanced at the well.  _This was the fate that Kagome wanted to save us from, this one is certain._

"If you're ready Lord Sesshoumaru, then we will begin." Said Kaede.

Sesshoumaru nodded, inwardly shuddering with the now urgent need to assure Kagome's safety.

OOO

Cool air brushed pleasantly against her face as Kagome opened her eyes. Lifting her head, she winced, feeling pain down her left side, as if she'd hit the floor heavily. Looking around her, the miko was startled to find she was in a familiar clearing.  _What? I can't be here I'm still in...I'm still..._

Kagome clutched her head against a sharp ache in her skull.

"Miko." A smooth, velvet voice called out.

She looked up, and felt her heart instantly race at the sight of him. Worries were instantly forgotten as she stumbled to get up, tears in her eyes.

"S-sesshoumaru, you're here. I thought I was supposed to be somewhere else but I -I can't remember." She uttered, eyes squeezing shut.

Sesshoumaru walked closer, and she noticed he was wearing his traditional feudal era clothes. "Do not dwell on it miko, come here."

Kagome blinked at the sudden twist in her stomach. His words sounded familiar but something warned her not to accept his offered hand. After a moment, he took her hand from her side anyway and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She inhaled his familiar scent, leaning into his warmth and trying to convince her tense muscles to relax.

His hair slid down her arm, feeling strangely different to what she remembered. Instead of the silky strands that felt like water running along her skin there was the sensation of...spiders legs.

Kagomes eyes snapped open the moment his arms tightened around her. She pulled back enough to look at his face, but could only see Sesshoumaru's staring back at her as he smiled.

"Naraku." She spat.

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes warmed. "You're mistaken, this is the face of your mate. It could not belong to anyone other than this Sesshoumaru."

Kagome growled and struggled to get free, finding herself silenced by the painfully gentle feel of his hand on her chin. He tilted her head to meet his gaze in such a familler gesture it made her heart break, his gaze was full of love.

Sesshoumaru then bent down until they were nose to nose. "I will make you fear and hate this face, until your nightmares replace him as the one you loathe most in the world."

He then pressed his lips roughly against hers, his hand tangling in her black hair. Kagome's eyes opened wide, and she summoned her powers, pushing herself free from his arms.

But even as she ran, the haunting sound of his laughter stayed with her, burying itself deep inside the fear in her heart.


	26. The Normal End

"...And this makes what kind of sense?" Inuyasha grumbled.

The elder priestess sighed heavily. "Pay attention half wit, we need the Beads of Subjugation from around ye neck to help lord Sesshoumaru pass back into the marble."

Sesshoumaru stood tense and watchful from the sidelines, frustrated with Inuyasha's dawdling. Miroku glanced at the demon, and noticing the dark expression on his usually passive face, decided to intervene.

"It's really not so strange Inuyasha, Kagome has a strong link with the beads. The marble thinks of her as its host, so when it senses Sesshoumaru holding the necklace it will be more likely to let him through. Kagome's aura is also linked with Sesshoumaru's through the... err...mating so that should also help with the deception." He smiled pleasantly, still finding it strange to think that the miko and demon were now technically married. He was infinitely curious about what had happened between them in the marble.

Inuyasha seemed to share Miroku's thoughts as he paled, shifting his gaze elsewhere. "That just sounds wrong, don't say that shit out loud."

Sesshoumaru smiled slightly, though it went unnoticed. Kaede rubbed her temple and stepped closer to the stubborn hanyou. "That is the situation at present Inuyasha, now please, will ye relinquish the beads?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he touched a bead around his neck. "Keh, it ain't like I'll miss these damn things."

Despite his words, the monk and priestess knew he felt differently. The beads had been Kagome and Inuyasha's first connection to each other, and while they'd been annoying, Inuyasha did somewhat treasure them for that. He allowed himself one brief moment to look at them around his neck for the last time before turning to Kaede.

"Alright, get em off."

"I may have been the one to enchant them onto you, but only Kagome can take them off. However, since lord Sesshoumaru is linked so closely with her I think be may be able to as well." Said Kaede.

Inuyasha scowled deeply, but Sesshoumaru ignored him and stepped forward until they were facing one another. A low growl escaped the hanyou as his ears flattened. _You bastard...I cant believe you took Kagome from me._

He'd noticed something strange between the two of them before, but had willingly ignored it, telling himself it was impossible. But now his half brother stood before him, carrying the faint scent of Kagome within his own. _I don't accept this, I cant...but why don't I feel pissed off with him? I couldn't have been okay with this in that damn marble, could I?_

Sesshoumaru reached for the necklace, lifting it up. The beads flashed brightly, and his eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the feeling of Kagome's aura. It rose up, tangling with his own and easing the strain on his face instantly. As he relaxed and gave himself over to the familiar essence of her, the beads lifted from around Inuyasha's neck.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, and he stared at the necklace numbly. "I guess you really are mated to her..." He trailed off quietly.

Something eased in Sesshoumaru's eyes, but the Diayouki's expression didn't soften or change in the slightest. Years of resentment had kept the brothers from ever speaking so openly, it was strange to hear it now.

Kaede took the beads from him and placed them on the well. Bringing her hands together, she began to chant. Miroku joined her, and the rest of the group watched as the beads began to glow with holy powers.

Once they'd completed the chant, the priestess turned to Sesshoumaru once more. "Miroku and I have given some of our reiki to the beads, in case Kagome has need of it."

He nodded and accepted the beads from her, but decided against wearing them. As the group fell silent, Sesshoumaru jumped onto the mouth of the well and gazed down into its dark depths.

"Sesshoumaru."

He looked over his shoulder at the kitsune. Shippo fidgeted under his scrutiny for a moment, but soon squared his shoulders and met his gaze. "Promise me you'll bring her back."

Sesshoumaru's eyes flicked to Kaede, before narrowing and moving away. Inuyasha caught the look and wondered what they'd talked about when Kaede had taken the Daiyouki aside earlier.

"This one will save her, I give my word." He murmured, struck by the sight of Kagome's pack turning to him for help. The miko truly didn't realize how much of an impact she still had on those around her.

Sesshoumaru turned, and holding the beads tightly in hand, jumped into the darkness below.

OOO

She was breathing hard, ragged breaths. Every so often she chocked on air, and swallowed, trying to calm her racing heart.

Kagome had been running for what felt like hours. Desperate for a respite, she'd collapsed to her knees when she'd reached the fake replica of Goshinboku. Though she'd barely had a moments rest, Kagome was eager to leave as soon as possible. Whenever she'd stopped to catch her breath he hadn't been far behind. She would feel the painfully familiar aura draw close, and the forest would grow quiet until he appeared from the mist, walking gracefully towards her. As he walked, thin tendrils seemed to spread out behind him that clung to the trees, wrapping in different patterns. Kagome hadn't stuck around to find out what happened next, and had managed to evade him until now.

She'd noticed that this new illusion was one of the feudal era instead of the 21st century, and wondered if the game world had been altered, or if she was in an illusion, held within another illusion.  _My head hurts..._

It didn't escape her notice that Naraku seemed to be able to alter this illusion to his benefit.  _Shit, this is bad. This is really...no okay. Calm down, I'm scared yeah, but that's no reason to totally panic and lose your senses. Remember what Sesshoumaru said when we trained together._

She could picture him easily, the memory instantly calming her as she recalled his steady, self assured voice.  _"Fear is an illusion more tangible than even this fake world miko. Danger is real, it can and will harm you if given the chance, but fear is a choice."_

His cold eyes had warmed slightly at her crestfallen expression.  _"You can run, or fight it, but facing your uncertainty is the only way you will be freed of whats holding you back from contentment."_

Kagome exhaled through her nose, calming herself. The air was starting to change again, heralding his approach. Closing her eyes, she focused on the feeling of Sesshoumaru's bite marks on her shoulder. His aura spread up, tangling intimately with hers until all she could feel was strength, wisdom and pure instinct.

Kagome quickly ducked down in the nearby cover of trees. Her fingers reached under the back of her shirt automatically. A handle met her hand, and Kagomes eyes narrowed just as the fake Sesshoumaru entered the clearing.

He stopped once he'd taken a few strides into the open plains of grass, his honey gold eyes watchful.

When her eyes traced the thin tendrils extending out from his back, she realized with a start that they were spider webs. It was probably a trap, to ensure that she remained in front of him as he searched for her. If she fell behind he'd know from the webs if they caught on her clothes.

Kagome stayed still as he passed her, continuing on through the clearing and into the waiting forest. Taking a deep breath, she crept from her hiding place and maneuvered around the spiders webs he'd left behind.

_I know this is risky, but I think I can use this to my advantage. Either way, I have to try something._

As she crept, Kagome judged the distance between the webs and Naraku. Once she was a safe distance away, the miko grabbed a web, pulling it sharply.

The forest seemed to hold its breath as Kagome got in position, pretending to be caught in the webs. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead as she felt him approach her, and soon enough, the fake Sesshoumaru appeared.

"Ah, have I caught a fly in my web?"

Kagome struggled, gritting her teeth when he drew close to her. His winter eyes were so familiar it hurt to look directly at him. He smiled, grabbing her chin and forcing her gaze to meet his. "Its true I take delight in tormenting you, but my main goal has been achieved. I have this world at my disposal, and can live on inside it. If you submit to me, perhaps we can come to an understanding."

She saw the lie in his eyes. There was no way he'd stop trying to mentally break her. "No thanks." She spat.

Reaching behind her, Kagome grabbed the handle of the dagger Sesshoumaru had given her, and in one quick motion, sliced into his chest. His eyes widened in shock, and he staggered back. The knife clattered to the ground and Kagome realized with despair that the cut hadn't been deep enough.

Staring at the knife in utter amazement, his hand rose, touching the wound lightly. Kagome breathed quickly, feeling sick. When he raised his eyes to meet hers however, they flashed with rage. A jagged smirk spread over his lips. "My, my, dear Kagome. It seems you've learned some new tricks. To think you would do something so underhanded as use a dagger."

Her eyes widened when he brought his hand up, and suddenly the world flipped on its side. The ground at her feet turned at a 90 degree angle, until it stood next to her as a wall. Kagome grabbed at the grass, the dirt, anything to hold onto, before falling back. A cry of surprise escaped her as she landed in the spider webs, supported by the trees still held in the vertical ground.

Disorientated, Kagome tried to rise, only to find her limbs stuck like glue to the webs. Her heart was now racing in her chest. "S-shit." She muttered, pulling as hard as she could.

"That won't do any good."

Looking up, she watched as Sesshoumaru descended gracefully onto the webs next to her. His easy facade seemed forced, as his face was strained with pain. He wasted no time in raising his hand once more, and the wind shifted around Kagome until pictures materialized from thin air. Each image showed a different friend or loved one, Miroku, Sango, Inuyasha, even Souta. When the images began to move, they showed fake scenarios of each of their deaths.

Vile rose in Kagome's throat and she quickly closed her eyes, turning away. "Stop it."

When the noise continued, she felt her body quake. "Just stop! Why are you showing me this?"

"Because you suffer more from the pain of others than anything I could inflict on you. And really my dear, after the trouble you've caused me you deserve to suffer."

Her friends screams and cries of anguish rattled in her mind, until panic rose up in her chest. The urge to help, to protect them, squeezed her heart until tears gathered and streamed down her cheeks.

Shutting her eyes tightly to try and escape the noise, the panic strengthened until it encompassed her very being. It was hearing Hojo's gasp of pain that startled her, gave her clarity. It was a reminder that she'd failed to help someone. Laying her hands flat against the webs, a surge of energy rattled from her finger tips, flowing into the webs. The stream of reiki burst out, following the intricate lines, and burning Naraku in an instant.

He snarled, jumping away from the webs and into the air. Kagome strengthened the flow of holy powers, until they raced through every web, singeing Naraku as he tried to escape. The singes created sparks, which caught onto the dried leaves of the trees, coaxing flames to life.

"Enough." The fake Sesshoumaru hissed, the mask of cool indifference completely gone. A deep fissure split down his face, revealing one narrowed red eye where gold had been before.

Kagome burned through the webs holding her arms down, and struggled to sit up.  _Never again, I'm not going to let anyone else be hurt by you again._  Her eyes widened in alarm at the sight of the flames starting to spread into the branches of the tree. Naraku's blood red eye flashed as he raised his arm threateningly.

"If I must rob you of consciousness Kagome, I will. Do not try my patience."

She raised her shield protectively, hoping to stop whatever he planned to do next. Naraku grinned widely, bringing his arm down just as a blade sliced through the air.

The face of Sesshoumaru broke, scattering into pieces as it fell from Naraku's stunned features.

"Actually, I think we should be saying that. Our patience has been stretched pretty thin by your cheesy one liners, Naraku." Said bored voice. Kagome looked up in surprise, and found Bankotsu standing above them on a side-facing tree.

"The inconsistent threats are whats pissing me off more. What exactly do you want from her anyway? Because if you're trying to gain her attention like you were that undead priestess, then you're really a desperate bastard rather than a criminal mastermind." Intoned Hiten, who lounged on another.

Kagome didn't know what to think, but she couldn't deny the relief that flooded her at the sight of them. Even if this was some cruel trick they were playing on her, she'd rather deal with two mercenary's than Naraku any day.

Naraku turned to them, face white with rage. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Having some much deserved fun." Bankotsu lifted Banryu and rested it on his shoulder.

Hiten smirked and rose from his seat with feline grace. "Yeah, and pulling the legs of insects was always a favorite pastime of mine."

There was a brief moment of silence as Bankotsu looked at the Thunder Demon awkwardly. "...Hate to break it to you Hiten but spiders are arachnids, not insects."

Growling in annoyance, Hiten lunged into the air with his Thunder Pike. "Whatever." He growled, launching a sweep of lightning at Naraku, who barely managed to evade it.

Kagome started in surprise when Bankotsu appeared before her. Raising his blade, he gazed down at her. "Stay still," he muttered.

Something told her to trust him, so Kagome fought not to flinch as he brought the halberd down, slicing through the webs that held her. Once freed, Kagome scrambled to grab a tree, hoisting herself up to sit on its trunk and breathing a sigh of relief. "Thanks," she breathed.

Bankotsu rested the large sword on his shoulder once more. "You can thank me by putting the ground back below us, this place is disorientating."

Kagome watched as Hiten met Naraku in the air with the Raigekijin, lightning reining down from their attacks. "But- I've never tried taking control of this world, I don't even know how Naraku can manipulate the illusion."

The mercenary snorted, "look if that weasel Naraku can do it I don't see why you cant. This is your illusion after all, and Naraku's just a figment of you. The more power you think he has, he'll have it."

With that said, Bankotsu leaped into the fray, parrying an attack from Naraku easily.

Kagome closed her eyes and focused on the energies surrounding her, but everything felt off. The ground was beside her, the smell of smoke was growing stronger, and the feel of three dark souls nearby unbalanced her.

She felt as if she'd gotten a grasp of something tangible in the space surrounding her, but a shout from above broke her concentration. A burning tree branch fell from above, and Kagome barely managed to dodge to the side in time. As she sat on the tree truck, Kagome gazed down at the other trees below, jutting out from the vertical ground like rungs of a ladder.

"Hey!" Hiten growled, suddenly scooping her into his arms and jumping into the air. Kagome gaped at him, just as a misshapen tentacle swiped close to their side, missing them by an inch.

Raising her shield, the miko held off Naraku's attacks as Hiten spoke lowly to her. "I still don't care much about what happens to you Shikon miko, but you did eventually save Souten. I guess I can do this much for you."

Kagome smiled, "I really appreciate it."

"Yeah well, don't let it go to your head. If you want to get outta here you need to find the Bone Eaters Well. This is a second illusion inside the marble, and if you're serious about getting rid of Naraku then this is the way to do it."

"What do you mean?"

Hiten grabbed onto a tree branch, swinging them down as Naraku followed in hot pursuit. "Leave through the well, idiot, it'll take you to that dating illusion from before. Once there, seal the well behind you using your power over the marble."

Kagome absorbed this information, uncertain about the last part. His hands tightened around her as he glanced down briefly. "And when you do get out of the marble once and for all, you better make sure Souten gets the best life she can."

Sincerity shone in her eyes as she nodded seriously. "Of course I will, I promise Hiten."

The Thunder Demon's eyes softened slightly before he set her down on a tree branch. Once she'd stepped away from him, Hiten turned to where Naraku was approaching from in the air. "Fix this illusion first to make it easier on yourself. We'll do what we can to stop Naraku from getting to you." He said gruffly.

She opened her mouth to voice her worry, but Hiten beat her to it. "We'll get left behind when you seal off this illusion, but don't worry about that crap. We're not real anyway." He glanced at her over his shoulder. "So just do what I say for once and save yourself."

Warmth flooded her chest as Kagome smiled gratefully. Hiten then sprang into the air, meeting Naraku head on with a clash of thunder and miasma.

Kagome breathed out shakily and focused on the illusion once more.  _I can do this._  When her aura spread into the air, she gave it no direction, letting it go without control. She frowned thoughtfully when her reiki tried to reach into the sky, and that's when it clicked. What energy the marble had collected lay within the barrier around the sky, so tapping into that power could shift the gears of the illusion, changing it as she willed. Naraku must have known this too, or heck maybe Bankotsu had been right.

Grasping onto the feel of the barrier, Kagome called it to turn. Immediately the branch she was standing on began to move, and the ground beside her trembled as it was turned back beneath her feet. A cry escaped her lips as she lost balance, and Kagome quickly grabbed onto the branch, swinging herself down to earth when it had settled. Everything looked normal again.

Not giving herself time to adjust, Kagome ran in the direction she could feel the well's magic coming from. Blasts of energy sounded behind her, thundering in her ears as she fought not to look back.

_Thank you Hiten, Bankotsu. I wont forget this I swear._

Her heart leaped in her chest when she caught sight of the Bone-Eaters Well. Pushing herself to run faster, her breaths came in warm puffs when she finally stood over the side of the well.

_What the-_

Spiderwebs crisscrossed in a steady pattern throughout the inside, making an easy escape impossible.  _Naraku_ , Kagomes eyes narrowed as she panted. Heart still beating wildly in her chest, Kagome steeled herself.

Climbing into the well, Kagome tried her best to maneuver around the spiders webs blocking the way. She stood on the webs hesitantly, using her reiki to break free when they clung to her. As she pulled herself down, she tried to pick up the pace, wanting to reach the bottom as soon as possible.

He foot slipped, and Kagome quickly grabbed a stray vine on the wall, sweat beading on her brow. Breathing out shakily, she looked at her shaking hand and willed it to be still. Catching sight of her burned wrist, Kagome thought of Sesshoumaru, longing gripping her.

 _"Perhaps you were not the most powerful in terms of physical strength, but you were the strongest miko in our time. A true leader does not cater to strength alone, they care for their pack, healing and providing for their physical needs. You also cared for emotional needs. The pack broke down without you."_  He uttered in her mind, as if whispering directly into her ear.

She had people waiting for her. Once she was free of this illusion, Kagome had made up her mind. _I will find my way back to them._

"Leaving so soon miss Higurashi?" A voice laced with venom called out.

Her blood froze in her veins, but Kagome didn't stop to see who'd joined her in the well. Leaping from the wall and falling onto the webs below, she sloppily tore herself free, trails of broken webs clinging to her.

A laugh sounded behind her, bouncing off the walls."Whats the rush my dear? You're trapped. Even if you do escape this illusion, there's another one waiting for you on the other side."

"Yeah but you wont be in it." She gritted her teeth, chocking on the smoke that drifted in the air. The fire from the forest had spread far, and she could now hear the roar and snap of flames above. She was certain that if she looked up, she'd see an orange sky, in addition to Naraku's dark figure.

She cried out when something sliced her exposed knee, drawing blood.

"My apologies, it seemed I missed. I was aiming for a clean cut that would sever that troublesome limb of yours." She heard the scrape of his talons in the air, barely missing her as she jumped down. "Perhaps I'll remove both of them, that way you wont be able to run away from me so easily." He murmured offhandedly.

The smoke was now so thick it was hard to see the webs, and Kagome coughed, tears stinging her eyes.

When she looked, only a pitch black drop hung below her, and she wondered how far from the bottom she was. Her heart lurched when she was yanked up roughly, sharp, elongated fingers digging into her back as it gripped her clothing, pulling her up.

Kagome struggled, eyes wide as she was suddenly face to face with Naraku. "Don't worry my dear, I'll make it as painless as possible. _I promise_."

OOO

Darkness surrounded him, its cold breath raising the hair on the back of the demons neck. He floated for a moment, suspended in the air, before faint lights guided him down. Among them lay one bright burst of energy that caught his attention.

Sesshoumaru floated towards it, the ache in his shoulder lessening as he moved closer. When he reached out, heat assaulted his senses, and the familiar burn of holy powers scattered into the air. Pushing forward, the warmth grew until it became almost unbearable, the bright light forcing the demon to close his eyes.

 _You will let me in_. He grit his teeth, hissing as the flames singed his clothes and flesh.

 _She is mine, you will not keep me from her._  This thought kept him going, enduring the pain that made him shudder and choke. His teeth enlarged as the marks on his face became jagged, and Sesshoumaru fought not to transform. It was a natural defense to try and escape danger, but he knew doing so would only make the situation worse. The beads in his hand began to glow brightly, lessening the sting significantly.

Somewhere in the blinding heat, he caught a thread of familiar aura. It tangled with his own, and he accepted it as naturally as breathing, the energy seeking the mark on his shoulder.

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes slowly, wincing against the pain, and pushing on forcefully. Following the pale pink light, he picked up speed, energy streaming past him until the passage narrowed.

Bracing himself, Sesshoumaru gripped the beads tightly, and burst through the barrier of the marble.

Blue sky, and the faint trace of her scent in the air were the first things he noticed.

The demon lord looked down, and immediately felt his heart stutter in shock. His form blurred in the air, racing down from the sky. Within the recesses of his mind, Sesshoumaru felt alarm, and tried to stifle the tension within his chest.

Great buildings, the size of which he'd never seen before were crumbling to the ground. Even smaller buildings collapsed in on themselves, dust and debris following in their wake. His sharp eyes caught sight of bones being unearthed from the ground, and frowned silently. What was happening?

He caught the scent of smoke, and followed it as he descended from the sky. Since he was unable to sense Kagome straight away, he theorized that perhaps the smoke was masking her. He only hoped this meant she was near the fire and not at the heart of it.

Landing on the grounds of a shrine, Sesshoumaru watched as a young boy around Rin's age ran up to him. "Y-you're Sesshoumaru aren't you? I'm Souta, Kagome's brother."

Noticing the worry in his eyes, Sesshoumaru's voice lowered as dread clawed at his insides. "Where is she?" He demanded.

OOO

Kagome twisted in his grip, but Naraku held fast, fingers cutting deep into her skin. His red eyes were unfocused, and she noticed scorch marks marring his body. Wondering what had happened to Bankotsu and Hiten, Kagome winced and turned her face away when he brought her closer.

He breathed hot, sickly air against her neck as he gazed at her frightened expression. "So scared, so pathetically afraid of who you used to be, what you used to mean to people. Without your title, who are you but a nameless miko?"

A part of her recognized his words, they were the part of herself that belonged to him, to the fear and stress inside. But his words drifted through her like a soft breeze, and all she could focus on was the feel of the mark on her shoulder.

She raised her eyes to his silently.

Naraku cried out as reiki burned his flesh, and he tore his hand away. Narrowing his eyes, he wondered how she'd managed to burn him even though he hadn't been touching her skin.

Pink static raced through the air around her as Kagome raised her hands, parring his talon away when he launched it at her.

"I see...you've become more like Kikyo. She could wound without the use of touch as well. Inuyasha would be pleased." He smirked. but inside something uneasy settled in his bones.

Kagome dismissed his words easily, feeling a certainty within herself she'd never felt before. "I don't even need to tell you that you're wrong. I have changed, you know that better than anyone." She felt his fear now, as easily as if it were her own.

He was a part of her, she acknowledged that, even accept it for the first time. He'd lived in her unease when she'd go to visit her friends in the feudal era, like a dark shadow hovering over her thoughts. He'd been there when she'd decided not to visit them one weekend, and then cancelled the next. Her mind had been ridden with worry, until she numbed it with the easy thoughtlessness that came with playing computer games.

Smoke curled around her as she faced him. "I'll always carry you with me, its not possible to live without fear. But I wont let you control me anymore, or stop me from living the way I want to."

Without hearing his reply, Kagome raised her hands, picturing a bow. Light burst forth from her palms, and she mimicked noting a bow, drawing the string back. The pale pink light reacted accordingly, becoming the glowing image of a bow and arrow made purely of reiki.

Kagome pointed the bow downward, letting the arrow fly free. It shot straight through the webs at her feet, melting a clear path through the webs below to the end of the well. With a leap, she jumped down, finding a familiar blue mist rising up to greet her.

She floated down slowly, caught in the wells power, when a talon suddenly caught at her arm. Raising her head, she started as Naraku lunged straight for her, eyes impossibly wide.

Throwing her hands up at the last second, Kagome built a shield between them, which the spider demon crashed against. His miasma and the smoke from above clashed and roared against the sparks of her holy powers. His hand was burning as it held her through the barrier.

"L-let go!" She chocked, increasing the flow of reiki until it inflamed his entire body and made her sway with dizziness.

The air changed, and a phantom breeze picked up. A sharp strike cleaved an arch in the air, and Naraku's hand flew free from his body. The spider cried out, snarling in hatred as Kagome turned uncertainly.

Silver locks dancing in the air was the first thing she noticed, before his golden eyes registered, and something broke within her. "Sesshoumaru." She breathed.

His winter eyes softened, as his hand found its way around her waist, body meeting hers in the air.

Through all the panic and confusion in her mind, she heard Naraku clearly as he laughed wildly. Turning her eyes to him, she watched as broken pieces of his flesh were crumbling into the air.

"You'll never truly be rid of me, have your triumph, your supposed  _victory_  over me. That wont change the fact I am a part of you, closer within you than even your precious mate." He uttered, looking hatefully at Sesshoumaru, who said nothing.

The spider hanyou coughed hoarsely, but the smile never left his face. "I'll simply go on as I did before, lurking in your darkest thoughts. Your nightmares will give me flesh each night, and that my dear, is when you will see me again. As long as you live, it will be as the shikon jewel wanted."

She recalled his words from before; ' _We will hate and fight one another forever like Midoriko and the youkai before us.'_

He leaned down to her until they were at eye level, only the thin layer of her barrier separating them. "Sweet dreams, Kagome." He breathed, disintegrating into ash that scattered into the air, catching in her tangled locks.

Kagome turned dazedly when Sesshoumaru called her name. "Kagome, we need to leave." He said, bringing her closer when she didn't respond.

His eyes gentled. "Release the barrier miko, he is no more."

Kagome blinked, and slowly relaxed in his arms. Nodding, she lowered her hands, shutting off the reiki shield. Smoke and left over miasma immediately swept in, trying to swallow them. Kagome held onto Sesshoumaru tightly as he descended to the bottom of the well, passing through the blue light and out to the other side.

OOO

Smoke followed through the well, arching up into the shine that awaited them. Sesshoumaru jumped, landing on the rim of the well and opening the shrines doors to leap outside.

Kagome breathed the clean air into her lungs gratefully, her head foggy. The demon lord took her a safe distance away before finally setting her down, his hand on her side to steady the wobbly miko.

"H-how are you here?" She breathed, reaching to touch him. Kagome wasn't sure how she'd known he was the real thing, it had been something like opening a door to a loved one she hadn't seen in years. Relief had flooded her, and there'd been no room for suspicion.

His lips lifted, but he inwardly started as her hand brushed against his cheek. "Your pack did what they could to ensure I reached you." Sesshoumaru held up his hand, showing the beads wrapped around his wrist.

Shaking fingers touched the necklace lightly, and when Kagome raised her eyes to meet his, they were shining with tears. _You came for me. Somehow, I knew you would._

A shuddering breath escaped her. "You remember everything?" She asked softly.

Sesshoumaru gave no outward reaction, but he felt hesitation grip him. She was looking at him with such tenderness and affection, he didn't want that to change. To see her so unguarded and trusting towards him felt...strange, but entirely welcome. It was oddly natural to feel her touch and stand so close, and the buried part of him that had craved her raced in his bloodstream,

Her brows furrowed when he didn't respond, and Sesshoumaru shook himself. He would not have her uncertain and guarded in front of him again.

Sesshoumaru raised a clawed hand, slowly brushing his fingers down from the fall of her hair, turning his knuckles against her cheek. Her skin was soft, and he marveled at her loving gaze. She was looking at him...and only him.

He lowered his head to press his lips against hers. She leaned into his warmth, her hand drifting up from his armor to rest over his heart. It raced under her fingertips. All at once, it was as if something clicked in his brain, and the memories of the marble rushed back like a burst dam. Sesshoumaru's body relaxed, the questions and concerns he'd had scattering to the wind.

When Kagome pulled away she allowed herself a moment to just stand in his arms, breathing in the sensation of being safe.

Her senses slowly returned to her, and Sesshoumaru pinpointed the moment her ire rose. "Wait, I sent you away for a reason, its dangerous for you here! You'll get drained again!"

Sesshoumaru gave a dusty chuckle. "Foolish miko, this one came back for a reason as well. You are coming with me this time."

"U-um-" A voice called.

The couple turned to see Souta standing in front of them. Kagome smiled and stepped up to him, "Souta! I'm so glad you're alright."

Her fake brother shook his head worriedly. "Yeah, well...everything else is definitely not alright."

"What do you-oh." Kagome trailed off, awed as she rose her eyes to the buildings ahead. They were crumbling to the ground, great clouds of dust rising into the air. As she looked, she began to notice bones being unearthed in the ground. They were giant, misshapen things, all in different sizes.

"Are those demon carcasses?" She looked at Sesshoumaru.

"Hn, the miko's and priests probably left them inside the marble to rot." He said tonelessly, hand curling at his side.

Souta looked at the wreckage with wide eyes. "I think the illusion is starting to break down, so the marble is revealing its true form. This is how its always looked."

Kagome nodded, now understanding. The marble was never meant to make anyone's wish fulfilled, it had been a gilded cage all along. She caught Sesshoumaru's eye.  _We should leave._

"You need to get outta here sis." Souta said, as if reading their minds.

Kagome turned to him guiltily. "But-Souta, I don't want to leave you here alone."

His brown eyes gentled, acceptance in his seemingly older face. "I wont last after you leave anyway, and the illusions breaking down as it is. You have to go."

She bent down to wrap her arms around him, and Souta clung to her for a moment. His small hands gripped the material of her clothes, and he fought the lump in his throat.

Kagome was about to say something when he stepped away, tears in his eyes. "Goodbye sis." He said with finality, back straight.

Her eyes gentled, and she gave a broken smile that felt painful on her lips. "You were the best little brother I could ask for." She murmured softly, and something like pride entered his eyes.

Walking up to Sesshoumaru, she held onto his shoulders as he lifted her up into his arms. With a burst of youki they were sent sailing into the air, leaving the decaying earth behind. She turned to watch as Souta fell further and further away, a heaviness weighing in her chest.

After she'd turned back to Sesshoumaru, a thought occurred to her. "I changed the illusion earlier, using the barrier in the sky. I think if I can manipulate it again, maybe I can let us out."

Sesshoumaru nodded, flying closer to the barrier. "The marble was meant to be harnessed by miko's. It is almost certain to let you out once you find the right way."

"Yeah its just finding it." She wet her lips, feeling weary but pushing away the fatigue.

His hands tightened around her. "There is...something more miko."

"I don't think I'm going to like the sound of this, whats wrong?"

She felt a change in the air as they rose higher, now hovering directly below the barrier. "The old miko Kaede approached me before I left to find you." He looked away, expression going blank, which instantly alerted Kagome. "The well's magic has been leaking into the marble for some time apparently. The trinket absorbed its power, keeping us frozen in time and stopping us from dying of starvation within the illusion. This may be why the illusion is starting to break down here, as the marble holds too much power within."

"That explains allot." Her brow furrowed, concerned.

"However...since it has been drained so thoroughly, the miko is certain the well will not be usable for much longer. It is weak, and will be rendered useless after just a few more leaps to and from our era."

Kagomes eyes widened as she stiffened. She'd known she'd have to choose one era over the other eventually but hadn't thought that time would be  _now_. Sesshoumaru's tone was detached, but she could tell he was just trying not to influence her decision.

Feeling the pull of the barrier, Kagome shook her head. "I-I guess we deal with that once we're actually out of here." Her fingers shook as she rose her hand towards the barrier.

Sesshoumaru watched her quietly, keeping his wants and fears to himself.

Kagome cleared her mind, though with some difficulty. Retracing the energy paths in the air that influenced the illusion, Kagome asked herself what she could picture to help them escape the marble.

Wacky ideas like using a cartoon hammer to smash through the barrier popped in her head, but she shook them away. Thinking about how silly they were though, led her to think of how she'd gotten into this mess in the first place.

_The Otome game._

Everything had started because of something as simple as playing dating sims, and she'd been trapped not by a criminal, but a child. Things had been dressed up simple, but hidden a death trap underneath. However...maybe that didn't mean it couldn't be solved simply too.

Kagome closed her eyes, and when they fluttered open, a Love Meter was beside Sesshoumaru. The level was where it had been before she'd used the marble to free Sesshoumaru and the others.

"What is it?" He asked, seeing the change in her face.

 _He still cant see the meter?_  Kagome shook her head, smiling wryly. "Nothing, its just...after everything that's happened I never thought I'd be happy to see something I once hated."

Sesshoumaru rose a brow as she looked at something over his shoulder, then he clicked. "The meter is there again."

"Yeah," she said softly. "Naraku told me that it was actually my feelings that changed the level of the meters, not yours or anyone else's. When he told me, I felt terrible, thinking that it was my fault I couldn't do something again. But right now I'm pretty grateful that he said it, because it makes this a heck of allot easier."

She reached forward and kissed him easily, her hand brushing against the mark on his shoulder. Their aura's rose and tangled, fitting together and relaxing the demon and miko, until nothing but contentment shined within.

When Kagome pulled away, she smiled, seeing the warmth in his golden eyes. He looked up sharply, sensing the change in the wind as it picked up, but Kagome just held onto him, relief flooding her as she rested her head on his shoulder. The Love meter beside him had risen to the maximum marker, flashing brilliantly in a myriad of colours. Multiple exclamation icons popped into the air, though one particular icon appeared right in front of Kagome.

'Congratulations! You've won! We hope you have enjoyed Feudal Fairy tale! Exit Game?' 'Yes' 'No.'

Never had she been so quick to say 'yes' in her life. Pressing the icon, the wind picked up until it lashed against them, and Sesshoumaru's grip tightened as energy snapped above.

They watched as the barrier parted, and as they climbed higher into the sky Kagome felt anxiety build in her chest. Sensing her unease, Sesshoumaru lowered his head until his lips rested against her ear. "Do not be afraid miko, trust that we can leave and we will."

She nodded, and instead rose her gaze above them, bracing herself as they touched the surface of the barrier.  _Let me through,_  she prayed, no, willed herself to pass through with him.

Kagome jumped as she watched the barrier disappear under her feet and she rose higher with Sesshoumaru into the air until the buildings faded away below. She raised startled, amazed eyes to his, and he smiled slightly.

"W-were out? We're free?" She half expected Naraku to show up, chortling that this was just another trick.

The demon lords eyes warmed, and when her heart settled in her chest, that was when it clicked. _I-Im free!_

She grinned, elated as the sky below grew so distant it turned into a speck of light. The light then became a small orb, and when it floated towards them again it was a harmless looking marble.

Sesshoumaru's hand snatched out and gripped it tightly between his fingers. "I think it best we destroy this." He murmured lowly.

"Yeah, but maybe not here." She looked at the darkness surrounding them and felt the wells presence. Two currents were pulling them in opposite directions, one of them smelling of fresh grass and nature, while the other smelt distantly of smoke and exhaust fumes.  _Tokyo..._

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru desperately.  _Now what?_  She couldn't make this decision so quickly, not on top of everything else. She wanted so many things that she knew was impossible, but deciding her future in one second was something she knew couldn't be done. Maybe someone stronger could have, but she was tired of being strong.

"I cant make this decision now, and I need to see my family, my mom is probably worried sick. Heck it might be unorthodox but...come with me?" She asked, a note of pleading in her voice.

Sesshoumaru rose a brow, intrigued. "To your time?"

She nodded, and he thought back to Rin and the others. He had his lands to think of, and his people, but he could not deny her request or stifle his curiosity at seeing a new world.

"Very well, but understand that I cannot stay for too long Kagome." He said gently, content to see her relax.

Holding her close, Sesshoumaru turned, and they were soon pulled along a current that opened out to an old wellhouse.


	27. The True End

Chapter 27 - The True End

White sheets swayed in the cold breeze as Kagome walked the familiar path from the well-house to the front door. This alerted her in numerous ways, since one; It was the beginning of winter,  _who puts washing out to dry in winter?_  Two; It was freezing, and three; They owned a dryer.

Kagome felt her breath catch when a pale hand appeared from behind a sheet and pulled it down, revealing her mother. Mrs. Higurashi's face was drawn and tired. Her eyes were downcast, distracted, and Kagome wasted no time in approaching her, dragging her foot on purpose to alert her.

Mrs. Higurashi glanced up and froze. Kagome smiled tearfully. "Hi mom."

Seeing Kagome run into the arms of her mother, Sesshoumaru felt guilt simmer in his heart. The natural way they held each other close, the affection, and obvious worry for one another was something he'd never shared with his kin.

Sesshoumaru watched as more family members joined them, her brother and grandfather. They each hugged, relieved smiles on weary faces as they laughed.

His eyes narrowed, so lost in thought he barely noticed the child approaching him.

"You're not Inuyasha." Said the boy, brown eyes appraising him curiously.

The Daiyoukai's rose a brow, "no, I am not." He muttered dryly.

His brow furrowed, eyes drifting over the demons markings. Sesshoumaru felt satisfaction when recognition dawned on his face. "W-wait are you-"

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome called, soon joining them. He noted that she'd been crying, though one wouldn't think by the large smile on her face. His chest tightened.

"Come on, mom and grandpa want to meet you. Dinner's almost ready too."

"K-kagome! This guy is Inuyasha's brother!" Souta stuttered, remembering Inuyasha's stories about the murderous demon lord.

She frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "Yeah he is, and he's having dinner with us. Is there a problem?"

Souta glanced away, mumbling a 'no' under his breath. Sesshoumaru followed the miko, knowing he should say something to the boy to quell his unease. However when he stepped foot into the Higurashi's home, he felt he should focus on smothering his own.

Their house was smaller than what he was used to, but it was comfortable and welcoming. When he sat among her family and accepted the food (despite it being for humans) Sesshoumaru found the Higurashi's to be a confusingly blasé about the whole story.

"Can't believe I was gone for a whole month, I'm so sorry I made you worry guys." Kagome said during dinner.

"It's no fault of your own my dearest, but please be more careful in the future! My diabetes started acting up in my concern for you!" Grandpa gestured wildly, food still clutched in his chopsticks.

Souta rolled his eyes. "Grandpa, you don't have diabetes."

"Good thing I don't, or it would have acted up!"

The boy shook his head, before turning to Kagome. "Anyway sis, we're just glad you're safe, don't feel bad." He then looked at Sesshoumaru, "so um, out of interest why did you come back with her?"

Sesshoumaru was about to answer when Kagome's hand covered his under the table. "Well actually, we've been dating for a while now, pretty seriously."

A half truth of sorts, but it was no where near saying they were technically married. Grandpa and Souta's eyes widened in surprise. Sesshoumaru rose a brow, but when she gave him a meaningful look he decided to play along.

"Yes, she was relentless in her pursuit of me." His lips lifted when she blushed hotly, but her family seemed unfazed by this.

"Not surprising, coming from our strong willed Kagome, but I do wish you'd tell us these things sooner." Grandpa muttered, eyeing the Daiyoukai and resisting the urge to put a sutra on his forehead.

"Yeah no kidding, but I guess this is kind of cool, you're like that warlord from Dragon's Revolution!" Souta grinned, eyeing the swords at Sesshoumaru's hip.

Kagome glanced at her mother, who was suspiciously quiet, but Mrs. Higurashi caught her look and just smiled. Kagome stiffened, feeling like she'd been punched in the gut. The action reminded her of the Unmother so painfully it stole her breath.

Noticing her expression, Mrs. Higurashi stood up and began clearing the plates. "Perhaps you'd like to show our guest your game, Souta." She murmured softly.

Souta nodded and gestured for Sesshoumaru to follow him, who did so reluctantly. Kagome gave him a reassuring smile as he left the room, Grandpa following behind them.

There was silence as Kagome helped her mother do the dishes, both lost in thought. As Mrs. Higurashi passed her a dish she'd washed, her eyes gentled. "So honey...lord Sesshoumaru seems like a good man. You must be happy with him if you decided to introduce him to us."

Kagome blinked but felt a smile form on her lips. "He is, and I am. We had some difficulties I wont lie, but before I knew it I'd fallen in love with him. It happened so naturally I couldn't have stopped it even if I'd tried. "

Her mother paused, catching the warmth in her eyes and the softness in her voice. Kagome raised her eyes to hers guiltily. "Mom I...the thing is...we're kind of-" She took a breath, glad Souta and Grandpa were out the room. "We got married, or at least that's the gist of it. I-I know it sounds crazy, but in the marble time moved differently, it didn't feel like we were in there for just a month. Besides that, it felt right, it was what I wanted-"

She jumped when she was suddenly evolved in a hug. The soap suds on her mothers hands mingled with Kagomes hair, but the miko didn't notice. She wrapped her arms tightly around her, eyes squeezing shut.

"Oh honey, were you worried about telling me?"

"K-kind of." Kagome mumbled.

Mrs. Higuarshi smiled, drawing back to look at her daughters face. "It's a bit of a shock yes, but we always knew you'd find your place in the feudal era. At first we all thought it would be with Inuyasha, but even after things didn't work out between you two, I knew where your heart truly belonged. You fell in love with that era, and while it was painful to think I'd have to let you go, I've made my peace with it. At least now I'll be certain you'll be safe while staying there, with lord Sesshoumaru by your side."

Kagome's heart melted, even as hot tears ran down her face.  _Thank you mom._

But then Mrs. Higurashi smiled, "besides its not like you wont be able to visit us."

A horrible weight crashed down on Kagome's chest, and she swallowed. "Oh mom-" She broke off, having to stifle a sob.

They sat down at the kitchen table, chairs pushed close together as hand met hand. Their linked fingers shook as the reality of the situation hit them like a hurricane. No one disturbed them, even as day crept into night, and night crept into dawn.

Sesshoumaru sat atop the roof, unable to hear them but easily picking up on Kagome's distress. His eyes darkened as he overlooked the city, a headache forming. The sights and smells of the city were overwhelming, and the fumes raised the hair on the back of his neck.

He blindly reached for any trace of youkai within the city, but just as Kagome had said, there was none to be found. This, along with everything else, had his eyes bleeding red as claws ripped into the bricks beneath him. He loathed feeling powerless.

When the first rays of sunlight peaked above the horizon and painted the sky in hues of orange, he heard the front door open. Kagome stepped out into the yard, walking past the garden as she wandered further, sitting down at the top of the shrine steps. When she reached out to him with her aura she only had to wait a moment before he was sitting next to her.

"Are you alright?" She asked, voice quiet, as loud as she can manage without it cracking unsteadily.

"Should I not be asking you that?"

Kagome shook her head, "this era is unfamiliar to you, I should have stayed with you to show you around, get you used to it a little."

"The experience inside the marble was enough, I was merely unprepared for the smell." He remarked dryly, pleased when she laughed.

They watched the sun slowly rise, its light a brilliant scorch of colours that blinded Kagome. She smiled, relief flooding her, _this really isn't a dream._

Sesshoumaru glanced at her surreptitiously and saw the flex of her fingers over her lap as she considered reaching out to him. Finally, Kagome met his gaze, and her hand covered his, her thumb resting under his. He smiled small and soft, looking at her with an intensity that fanned the embers under her skin, making her feel safe and reckless all at once.

"You are not the only one who fears being idle Kagome."

She frowned thoughtfully. "What do you mean?"

His golden eyes seemed to glow as the sunlight touched his face. "Merely that after Naraku's defeat, this one felt somewhat purposeless as well. I'd sought supreme conquest for many years, in order to be a true lord. Yet after obtaining Bakusaiga I had no desire to win that title."

Kagome's eyes widened. "But you always seem so sure of yourself, of what your doing."

"Hn, this one holds no insecurity about it, a new path will always open." He made no pretense of what he was referring to, his thumb sweeping across her knuckles. Kagome's eyes clouded, and he held off asking about her choice.

He's not used to having somewhere feel like home. He doesn't mean Tokyo, or the shrine, no, home was the nape of her neck, the scent of her hair and the brush of her lips against his. Asking Kagome to leave her family behind wasn't something he took lightly, and not for the first time, he recalled his brothers words after being separated from the miko.

 _'I'm not the only one who cares for Kagome.'_  Inuyasha had muttered softly, not knowing that they'd be separated for just three years. The hanyou probably thought it would last forever, yet he'd accepted the fate inflicted on them by the well.

A heaviness weighed in his heart, and neither of them broached the subject of the well. Sesshoumaru inwardly cursed himself for his cowardice as his hand tightened on hers.

OOO

The next day Kagome walked into the city, nervously glancing at the Daiyoukai by her side. He'd allowed her to cover up his markings using make-up, and was wearing an old suit that had belonged to her father, but his long silver hair stuck out like a sore thumb. It had been the same with Inuyasha, but the Hanyou had at least worn a cap.

"What is it?" His eyes slanted down to meet hers.

"Ah-um, nothing, its just...can I tie your hair back?" Kagome gestured, noticing a group of women blush and giggle as they walked past, whispering; 'He's so hot, but is he cosplaying? Look at that hair!'

Sesshoumaru allowed her to tie it, ignoring the attention of the other humans and instead taking in the sights with concealed interest. The world had progressed alarmingly fast in 500 years.

Kagome smiled and took his hand, walking the eerily familiar path they'd used in the marble, passing the school. She peeked in as they walked and had to stop for a moment, taking in the sight. Sunlight hit the dusty pale bricks, shouts of school children rang into the air, and the distant smell of food coming from the kitchens filled Kagome with contentment.

As she was about to turn away however, a face caught her attention. "H-hojo?" She breathed.

Sesshoumaru watched as she ran up to the boy, stopping just shy of crashing into him. "Oh, hi Kagome, I'm surprised to see you here, I just dropped off my sister. You look well though." Hojo said pleasantly.

Kagome couldn't stop herself, she hugged him, just to assure herself he was really there. Something she noticed was that his eyes were distant, his greeting polite but airy. He wasn't anything like how she'd made him in the marble.  _I imagined the old Hojo, and exaggerated his crush on me._

She pulled away, happiness shining in her eyes as he stood in front of her awkwardly. Realizing she hadn't said anything, her face flushed red. "H-Happy New Year hug!" She cried, waving her hands uselessly in the air.

Hojo looked at her in confusion. "But winter's only just started...why would you-"

"Okay! Well I gotta go! Great seeing you Hojo!" She grinned weakly, turning on her heel and quickly meeting Sesshoumaru at the gate. "Is he looking at me like I'm crazy?" She muttered lowly to him as she passed.

"Hn, he seems deeply concerned." He smirked, following as she speedily walked away from the school.

Breathing a sigh of relief when they reached the library, she glanced up at him. "Why did you want to come here again? I thought you read all the books in the fake library."

"I did, but your grandfather mentioned a new section had been opened. This one will not be long." Sesshoumaru said, walking into the building soon after. Kagome's brow furrowed. _He read so much about the future while in the marble, he must be planning something. This has definitely gone past simple curiosity._

Just as she was about to join him, a hard force met her shoulder, sending her staggering back. Righting herself at the last minute, her temper flared. "Hey! Watch where you're-"

Words escaped her as the older boy turned to look her in the eye. He was wearing a leather jacket, his hair much shorter but still pulled into a braid. "What?" He muttered, voice entirely different, eyes a deep brown.

 _I-it, it couldn't be, H-Hiten_? Her brain went on autopilot as her mouth opened and closed.

His annoyance melted into slight concern as he watched her face grow pale. "Um, hey, whats up with you?"

"Must be you making her feel sick Hajime, I told you not to scare girls with that attitude of yours." An easy going voice called out from behind them, and Kagome's eyes widened as a different version of Bankotsu walked up to them, hands in his pockets.

His skin was paler and his hair was short, though bangs still swept into his eyes. He looked entirely unguarded however, and it was this stark difference in him that made Kagome click.  _They're reincarnations..._

"Shuddup would ya, its her fault for walking into me." Hajime grumbled, pushing past them and continuing on down the street.

Kagome watched him go blankly, utterly amazed.

"Don't mind him," said the new Bankotsu. "He isn't such a bad guy once you get to know him." He smiled kindly, and Kagome snapped out of her daze, unable to do anything but smile back.

"Yeah, I don't doubt it." She murmured softly.

He blinked, but seemed to think better of saying anything more as he gave a slight wave and turned away. Kagome watched as the two disappeared around a street corner. She felt a lightness in her heart, and even though she knew they could only be reincarnations of the real mercenaries, she couldn't help but see a little of the marbles incarnations in them as well.  _However impossible that might be_ , she smiled.

When they returned to the shine a few hours later Kagome spent time with her Grandfather and Souta, helping them with various tasks they'd neglected. Sesshoumaru wandered into the garden and found the Goshinboku, seemingly untouched by the all years that had passed.

 _If I survived to this time, would this tree be the only thing that had lived through the feudal era with me_?

"I don't know if Kagome told you, but her father proposed to me under this tree." Said a kind voice.

He turned to find Kagome's mother approaching him, wrapping a coat around herself to protect her from the chill in the air. He rose a brow in interest, looking back at the tree thoughtfully.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, undaunted by his silence as she stood next to him. "Where did you propose to Kagome?"

"I did not ask in human terms. This one did many things to imply my attachment to her, though that method proved a difficult one." He frowned lightly, the difference in their cultures making itself known to him again.

"It seems to have worked though. Her father would be very happy to see her married."

Sesshoumaru glanced at the older woman, "and what of you?"

Her brown eyes creased at the edges as she smiled, a weary look hidden behind one of joy.  _Hn, must be where Kagome gets it from._

"I trust you to treat her well, but I have some concerns, for mostly selfish reasons." She said softly. "Kagome was only five when my husband passed away, and Souta had yet to be born. After we moved here she became my right hand. She was always there to help, and she took on many responsibilities at a young age just to lighten the weight I on me."

Sesshoumaru absorbed this information silently, his eyes faraway. Mrs. Higurashi continued, though inwardly the lord wished she wouldn't. "I never would have made it without her and Grandpa. She's always thought of me as reliable, but really I've always been the one relying on her. But her happiness comes first, and I know she can find that with you."

Sesshoumaru nodded faintly, and Mrs. Higurashi smiled genuinely this time. "Just promise me you'll take good care of her."

With that said she left him standing alone in front of Goshinboku. She'd given her blessing, he should have been pleased. Yet an uneasiness crept under his skin, and thoughts he'd tried to deny came racing back.  _They are a singular family._

That night, Kagome tossed and turned, finally kicking off the sheets and leaving her bed a crumpled mess. Sesshoumaru had been absent at dinner, and she'd tried reaching out to him using her aura but to no avail. It was like she could sense him in the area but he'd closed himself off from her. She'd tried searching for him on foot, but knowing the Daiyoukai he'd only reveal himself when he wanted to.

Gnawing at her bottom lip in worry, she walked downstairs, grabbing some tables from the kitchen that would help her sleep. She'd swallowed the pills and downed a glass of water before she noticed a dark presence in the room.

She jumped when she saw him, heart racing. "Sesshoumaru! Geeze don't creep up on me like that." One look at him though made concern grip her tightly. Approaching him, she caught his guarded eyes and instantly asked what was wrong.

"There is no cause for concern miko, this one was merely committing future events to memory. Such things will be useful when returning to the past." He held a modern history book in his hand and placed it on the table, apparently done with it.

Kagome frowned in uncertainty. "What do you plan on doing with that information?"

"What you said about demons in the modern era is correct. None of them appear to have survived. I seek to rectify this by hosting a place of safety at my fathers old stronghold." His eyes were intense, but they softened slightly. "This one will make certain not to change anything in history miko, we will simply be removed from it, and not forced into extinction."

He doesn't know what to expects her to say, thinks that perhaps it will be something cautious.

But she just smiled widely. "T-that's- that's great! I've always hoped that a society of demons had survived somewhere in the world, and that maybe I just couldn't find them. Maybe using Fox magic could conceal your youki and markings if you perfected it." She says, her eyes bright and her cheeks pink, and every fibre of him belongs to her as something hooks hot and low in his stomach.

He notices her yawn soon after and guides her up the stairs. When she lays in her bed and gently pulls him down to her, their lips meeting, Sesshoumaru has to bite back the thrill that runs through him like a lightening strike. Every nerve ending is suddenly electric, oversensitive and aching.

Kagome felt dowdiness settling in her bones, and soon found herself lying back on the pillows, Sesshoumaru pulling the sheets over her body.

"Sesshoumaru." She murmured sleepily.

"Hn?"

She breathed in deeply, "I...want to stay."  _With you_ , was what she thought she said.

Sesshoumaru didn't answer for some time, and Kagome was just falling asleep when she dazedly caught his soft reply. "This one understands."

Kagome then drifted to sleep, unaware of the quiet demon who watched the stars with a hollowness in his heart.

OOO

She dreams of books from her childhood, about girls visiting magical realms. Alice, Wendy and Lucy, all bright eyed heroines in love with their fantasy worlds, had been forced to return to reality whether they'd liked it or not. Perhaps that was the right thing to do, she'd had her adventure and played the part. But one thing she had that those girls hadn't gotten was time and choice. No longer the reckless girl of 15, she now had the foresight to weigh choices, and knew what the consequences would be.

Kagome opened her eyes, anticipation in her heart. She'd live with this the rest of her life, but inside her heart, she knew nothing could make her regret it. When she thew off the covers, she found herself alone in her room. She had a vague headache, and figured the sleeping tablets hadn't been such a great idea.

Walking downstairs, she found no trace of the demon lord.

"Sesshoumaru." She called, reaching for his youki. Something gripped her harshly when she finds no trace of it.

Fear assaulted her senses, and in her mind she feels Naraku's hot breath on her neck. Yesterday had been different, she'd been able to at least sense him in the area. Racing out into the yard in bare feet, she calls his name again, a desperate edge to her voice now.

"Sesshoumaru!"

Sensing a vague trace of his youki, her heart leaped, and she followed it without question. When the youki lead to the doors of the well-house however, she stopped dead.

"Kagome," her mother calls, but she can barely hear her.

"He left." She breathed, the mark on her shoulder flaring in agony.  _Why, why didn't you take me with you_?"

Mrs. Higurashi took her hand, breaking her out of her dazed state. "He seemed heartbroken this morning honey. He said you'd made your choice to stay here, and that he would seek you out if he survived the 500 year gap, I tried to stop him."

Kagome looked at her, eyes wide. "But- I didn't! I...I don't remember what I said last night mom, but I thought I told him I wanted to be with him."

Her mothers eyes gentled and she seemed to accept something as she smiled.

OOO

Inuyasha turned sharply when he sensed a familiar scent in the well. Sesshoumaru soon appeared, jumping over it's side and into the clearing.

Shippo raced forward, mouth stretched into a wide smile, eagerly awaiting to see Kagome join him. But the Daiyoukai stood still, as if carved from stone, eyes like winter ice. Inuyasha growled, flashing his fangs.

"Where's Kagome?"

His hands curled into fists when Sesshoumaru didn't answer, and he took a step towards the demon, shaking in anger.

Rin approached the clearing happily, carrying a basket of food for her friends. She held hope that today would be the day Lord Sesshoumaru returned with Kagome. It had been almost impossible to get Inuyasha and Shippo to leave the well ever since the lord had left several days ago.

Her head snapped up in surprise when she heard a raised voice coming from ahead. "Where the fuck is she! You were supposed to bring her back with you! I never should have let you go after her!"

Rin's eyes widened and she quickened her steps until she was running. When she arrived at the Bone Eaters Well she was panting hard, and felt her heart pulse in worry at the sight of the two brothers.

Inuyasha gripped the front of Sesshoumaru's collar tightly, snarling insults in his face. He chocked when a hand snapped out and gripped his throat, cutting off his words.

Inuyasha snarled and looked up, startled when he saw his brother's face clearly for the first time. Sesshoumaru's head was bowed slightly, eyes sightless. His expression was paper thin, almost desolate.

"Stop this, please!" Rin ran up to them, her eyes catching Shippo's look of anguish.

She placed her hand on the Daiyoukai's that was hanging at his side. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what happened? Why isn't Kagome with you?"

The haze cleared in Sesshoumaru's eyes, and he slanted his gaze down to her. "She is safe. After freeing herself from the illusion, the miko returned to her original time."

"W-what?" Rin gasped.

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he stepped back, breaking out of Sesshoumaru's loose grip. "She-she what? No way, Kagome's place is here. She stayed in the future before and after three years, we finally got her back. I remember her in the marble, she wanted to be here."

Rin looked closely at her lords face, now understanding why he seemed so tormented. Inuyasha growled, pointing a clawed finger at Sesshoumaru. "She's your mate aint she? Why didn't you stop her?"

Furious, blazing golden eyes locked with his as a low snarl escaped Sesshoumaru's thin lips. "It was her choice to make. Do not question her decision."

Rin's brow furrowed as her heart squeezed. "Inuyasha...please." The soft plea left her lips as she looked beseechingly at the hanyou to stop. Shippo shook his head, tears swimming in his eyes as he dashed away in the direction of the village.

Inuyasha's ears flattened, frustration flashing in his eyes. Sesshoumaru turned sharply on his heel and stalked quickly from the clearing, ignoring Rin's urgent shout; "My lord!"

He couldn't stop, he needed to get away. His skin felt too tight, he swallowed but his mouth remained sickly dry. Temples throbbed, everything ached and his heart was squeezing too damn tight. Sesshoumaru wanted to plunge his claws inside his chest and rip the useless thing free. Perhaps then he'd be rid of these feelings.

_This one said it was useless to love, knew it to be so. Then why...why did I allow myself to love her when I knew such a thing could not last between us. I was merely pursing a dream._

He thought of Valentines and felt his throat constrict. That dream had cost him dearly, just as he'd predicted.

 _"Loving people is not a weakness. And even you aren't immune to it, no matter how much you say it doesn't exist."_  Kagome murmured softly in his mind.

 _If it is not a weakness then why does it cause pain miko? It festers and aches like a wound, and am I better off because of it?_  He growled, finding himself coming to a stop.

He could see her gazing up at him quietly.  _"You're not untouchable Sesshoumaru."_

 _No, perhaps not. But look what good its done. Do you feel its sting miko? Being so far removed in the future, will you even think of me_ _?_ Sesshoumaru breathed heavily, hearing a dull roar in his ears. He felt his claws draw blood from his palms, and quickly loosened his fists.

Harrowed golden eyes fell shut. Being separated from ones mate was the cruelest thing to inflict on a Daiyoukai. If a mate died, the other was usually driven mad with grief, but he could not mourn her loss because she lived.

Yet he felt her absence keenly. He was alone, and would remain so for 500 years. His soul was split in half, and would remain incomplete until he saw her again. Even with this slight resentment, he could not bring himself to hate her.  _No, she needs her family, and this one gave her the choice. I will merely...have to endure it._

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes slowly, calming his racing heart that weighed heavily in his chest. He began walking forward, the sun at his back as he continued.

It wouldn't be easy, no, it would even be harder than when he'd lost his father, but he would go on existing. He knew Kagome wouldn't want him to merely endure life, but that was his compromise. He could not enjoy this world, but he was still a lord and had duties to perform, lands to protect and a plan for the future.

The Daiyoukai thought he heard someone calling his name but dismissed it. He wished she had chosen him, but such gifts were not meant for demons like him. After taking so many lives, he wondered if this was the Gods punishment.

None the less, a surge of possessiveness that shook his hands rose up inside him.  _Kagome, I will see you again. This Sesshoumaru swears it._

His instincts roared to life as he carved the vow into his very essence. Raising his eyes skyward, he smiled slightly.

A hard force struck the back of his head. Sesshoumaru froze instantly, eyes wide in surprise.

His gaze shifted to his feet, where a brown shoe lay in the grass.

"Oh thank God you finally stopped! Geeze Sesshoumaru-" A voice wheezed. "I didn't know you did power walking! Maybe slow it down a notch huh?"

Sesshoumaru turned wide, disbelieving eyes behind him. There had to be some mistake. Because he was not seeing Kagome breathing heavily right before him.

At his silence, she glanced away and awkwardly gestured to the shoe. "I'm sorry about throwing that at you but its just- you were walking so quickly I couldn't get your attention, so-"

"You are not here." He uttered softly.

Kagome blinked as Sesshoumaru continued, eyes hollow. "This one tires of illusions. Leave me be."

His face was ashen, eyes dulled and unnaturally empty. Kagome's voice wavered. "S-Sesshoumaru, its me. I'm here I swear."

His expression didn't change in the slightest, and the miko's blue eyes filled with tears. Sesshoumaru vaguely picked up the scent of salt in the air. "You left, I don't remember what I said but mom told me those sleeping tablets are pretty strong."

Kagome swallowed, ignoring her tears as she kept her gaze steady. "I followed you back, and the well closed behind me, because what I wanted to say last night -what I meant to say, was that I wanted to stay here with you."

Something shifted behind his blank face, and Kagome smiled gently, stepping closer.

Sesshoumaru pushed the disbelief and shock away to focus on her scent, his eyes widening. The mark on his shoulder finally eased, and when she extended her aura out, his own met hers in the air. The confusion and caution in his eyes melted away, and Kagome's smile widened.

Long pale fingers tangled themselves in black locks as Kagome found herself pulled flush against him. She laughed brokenly, half laughing at them and their propensity to confuse each others feelings, and half out of pure relief.

Sesshoumaru hid his face in her hair, arms tightening around her as his eyes drifted shut. The scent of untamed purity, softness and warmth filled his scenes as he inhaled.  _Home_ , he sighed against her skin.

Kagome rested her head against him, her hands gripping his shirt tightly as she felt him murmur against her neck; "This one did not believe it was possible. Why did you not stay with your family?"

"Because, this is my home. My real home. It took me a long time to figure that out, but four years ago I didn't get a choice. The well stranded me in the future, and all I wanted was to come back. But when that finally happened, things had moved on, and I didn't know where I belonged."

The Daiyoukai lifted his head to look at her, arms still around her waist as she smiled up at him. "Being in that marble was horrifying in some ways, but I owe it allot for opening my eyes. Shippo might be interested in his studies, Sango and Miroku have their kids, and things changed between Inuyasha and I, but that hasn't affected the bond between us, I know that now. There's no reason to fear whats changed anymore."

A brush of cold air made Kagome shiver in his arms, and Sesshoumaru brought the fur pelt around his shoulder forward until it wrapped around her. "T-thanks." She shivered when his hand brushed against her neck, and a surge of longing rocks through her so violently that her breath catches.

"I don't want to be anywhere but here Sesshoumaru." She breathed, heart slamming in her rib-cage when his eyes darkened.

A second later, he'd closed the space between them, mouth pressed against hers. Relinquishing his already limited restraint, Sesshoumaru snaked an arm around her waist and deepened the kiss.

Kagome arched into him as her hands lifted to his hair, bringing him closer. Sesshoumaru growled lowly, unable to deny her. Claws and blunt fingernails scraped against skin as Kagome shuddered all over.

Hands never left her body. Devastating lips wreaked havoc on her senses as threads of silver tickled her feverish skin. Throughout it all she felt his hands shake with want of her, and as their kisses slowed she smoothed her hands, her caresses becoming gentle. A part of her felt his disbelief even now, and her heart ached with love and the unspoken promise that lay within.

 _I wont leave again_ ,  _promise me you won't either._  She tried to say, breaking away to kiss his markings slowly, reverently. His breath came in warm puffs against her neck as his hands finally stopped shaking, and Sesshoumaru's hooded amber eyes opened. Kagome blushed as he watched her with unbroken intensity, the beast lying beneath the surface.

His fingers sought the mark on her shoulder, and Kagome obliged by pushing the fabric of her jumper aside. The mating mark now looked closer to a crescent moon, and Kagome heard a rumble of approval from Sesshoumaru before he bent to kiss it.

Her fingers ran through his hair as his tongue swept across the mark, his hands running down her back and settling at her hips.

"W-we should probably head back to everyone else, I kind of rushed past Inuyasha and Rin to catch up with you."

Sesshoumaru smirked and drew back, adjusting her clothing so that she was covered from the cold. "Hn, that would probably be best. If we continued this one would not be able to restrain himself, and would be unable to give you back for at least several days." His tone was smooth and dark.

"Several days huh?" Kagome mused, trying to act unaffected as Sesshoumaru's hands caressed down her back.

"Hn, or perhaps several weeks would be more agreeable." He added, lips lifting as he sensed the subtle change in her scent.

Kagome blushed and laughed breathlessly, knowing he was deadly serious. They shared a look, before Kagome smiled and shook her head. "That'll have to be a rain check."

He seemed vaguely disappointed but Kagome just giggled, her hand meeting his as she weaved their fingers together and stepped away. "Come on, lets get back before it snows."

The pair turned and headed in the direction of the village, walking underneath the bare trees of winter. But even as the weather turned colder, nothing seemed to affect the warm glow between them.

O

After many weeks had passed, and the worst of the winter storms had melted away into the beginnings of spring, Kagome found herself stepping out into a field. It was the middle of the night, and the sky was so clear that she could see countless stars hanging above.

"I wish I'd brought my telescope with me from the future." She muttered, wrapping her arms around herself when a particularly biting wind raced through her.

She felt a familiar presence behind her. "You do not need such things to be closer to them."

Kagome smiled and turned to face him, "well after being inside that marble I didn't want to ask you to waste your youki."

Golden eyes gleamed in the darkness. "I would not consider my youki wasted on something such as this."

The miko couldn't bring herself to argue as a cloud of energy formed at their feet, lifting them up off the ground. Kagome quickly held onto Sesshoumaru, thankful that he wasn't wearing his armor so she could burrow closer into his side.

His arm wrapped around her waist as they rose higher, past the trees and up into the cloudless sky. The air was freezing and her breaths became visible, but Kagome paid it no mind as they climbed higher still, until the stars loomed closer than ever.

Sesshoumaru dragged his fur around her shoulders and increased his youki until it warmed them, catching the way her mouth parted in amazement.

Her blue eyes drank in the scenery before them, and gazed up at the stars in almost childlike wonder. He knew the moment she thought of her father, because her eyes dimmed, and she seemed to draw back into herself.

"He would want you to enjoy this Kagome."

She looked up at him and smiled gently. "I know, I just wish he could have seen them this close too, they're amazing."

Thoughts of her father carried thoughts of her family, and Kagome sighed. "Mom said she understood that I wanted to stay here. I knew she'd say it, but she hides her negative emotions from everyone. She said she'd miss me, and even if I do live to see her in 500 years, she'd know I wouldn't be quite the same person." Kagome's eyes grew sad, before she shook her head, hands tightening on his clothes. "But then...she said no matter how much time passed, nothing would change between us."

Sesshoumaru's arm tightened around her. "You miss them."

A forlorn smile touched her face. "Of course, I'll always miss them. But I don't regret anything."

Since escaping the marble Kaede had been certain it wouldn't be fixable, but Sesshoumaru hadn't taken any chances and melted what was left of it with his poison claws.

Shippo had apologized no end of times for causing the whole thing and had stuck to Kagomes side like glue for the first week since she'd decided to stay. After a while he'd calmed down and had left once again for his kitsune training, taking Souten with him. Shippo's master had said he could bring the thunder demon with him so long as she was a magic user.

"It surprised me when Koga and Ayame stayed for a few weeks to check on Souten. She seems to have really bonded with them, don't you think? I wonder if they'll adopt her."

"Hn."

Kagome smiled, gazing up at the sky. "If she leaves with them, Shippo will miss her, especially now that Rin's talking about leaving the village too."

His jaw ticked. "That will not happen for another few years."

Kohaku had visited the village again, and was shocked to find what had happened in his absence. Before he left though, Kohaku had taken Rin aside and spoken to her in hushed tones. Both of them had been blushing deeply, and since then Rin had often spoken about leaving the village to become a healer.

Kagome suspected the demon slayer had asked her to travel with him, but Sesshoumaru didn't like talking about the subject. She glanced up at the tense demon and felt her heart warm. When he caught her look, he rose a brow silently.

She shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just thinking you'll make a good father some day."

The change in his eyes was instantaneous, and he pulled her closer, dipping his head to rest his lips against her neck. Children with Kagome was something he'd never thought possible a year ago. But now the impossible was within his grasp, and the idea of having a family was perhaps the most satisfying one he'd had.

He pushed away his pride and any sense of dignity, sighing slightly. If it was for her, he supposed he could say the words. Sesshoumaru smoothed his voice. "Kagome, my life hasn't been the same since the day I met you. From this moment on, I want to be with you...always." He murmured softly.

Kagome tensed, eyes snapping open.  _What the-_  "Sesshoumaru...w-where did you hear that line?"

He seemed to pick up her change in attitude as he lifted his head, gaze puzzled. "...Shippo said that if I spoke these words, they would please you."

Kagome bit her lip, smothering the urge to laugh. "U-um, that line is what Sora says to the heroine at the end of one of my otome games. It's in my Mocking Moon walk-through."

Confusion melted into quivering rage within his hooded eyes. "The kit will die for this. No wonder the half breed was snickering when he told me." He seethed.

Kagome couldn't help herself, she burst into laughter, tears stinging her eyes. Her laugh rang out into the sky around them, and if someone had looked up at that moment they would have had the peculiar honor of seeing a miko guffawing in the arms of a demon lord on a cloud.

Her laughs were soon silenced by said demon lord, and Kagome smiled against his lips, contentment shining in her aura as it linked with his. The two energies rose, until they danced up into the night sky, as if merging with the very stars above.

o

The End

o

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all of you for your support whilst I wrote this fic. This year has been the hardest of my life, but having this fic to come back to has been so helpful I don't know where I'd be without it.
> 
> So sincerely, have a Happy New Year. Lets make this one a better one. *Hugs* There will be more Sesskag fics from me in the future, so I hope to see you again, but if not, thanks for reading ;) xxxxxxx (and yes it was chessy but gosh darn it, I want the cheese!)


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